Investigation of the properties of resonance holograms in a beam of sodium atoms

Experimental and theoretical (using a two-level approximation) investigations were made of the properties of resonance holograms (excited-state gratings) created by monochromatic linearly polarized radiation from a cw dye laser in a beam of sodium atoms as a result of the 3²P_3/2– 3²S_1/2(F=2) transition. A good qualitative agreement was observed between the theory and experimental results. It was established that the maximum diffraction efficiency was attained when the intensity of the radiation used to form the hologram was of the order of the intensity needed to saturate the transition and the optical thickness of the beam was ~1.1. The sensitivity of the medium was ~1 nJ/cm² for 1% diffraction efficiency.