Abstract
We have observed effective separation of Na vapor from a buffer gas using the principle of laser induced drift1. The basic idea is as follows. A travelling laser beam produces velocity-selective saturation of optically absorbing atoms, by means of the Doppler effect. This yields opposing fluxes of excited and unexcited atoms. Both fluxes feel different diffusion resistances in the buffer gas, since the collision cross sections σ* and σ of the absorbing atoms are generally state-dependent. This results in a net flux of the absorbing atoms. It should be noted that this mechanical action of the light field is completely different from (and much stronger than) the well known radiation pressure.2
© 1984 Optical Society of America
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