Abstract

A transform-limited light pulse from a tunable laser can be used to measure atomic lifetimes much shorter or much longer than the light puke duration by measuring linewidths in the case of short lifetimes or decay rates in the case of long lifetimes. However, when the atomic lifetime is comparable to the duration of the exciting pulse, these methods are difficult to apply. We demonstrate that, for the latter case, an optical nutation measurement yields both lifetimes and transition strengths with high accuracy. We prepare oxygen atoms in a single angular momentum state (J, m_j) in a collision-free and Doppler-free environment.

© 1991 Optical Society of America