USE OF A DIODE-LASER TO MEASURE THE POLARIZATION OF AN OPTICALLY PUMPED ENSEMBLE OF HE(2 S-3) ATOMS

A simple technique is described for determining the polarization of He (2 S-3) atoms contained in an active discharge or afterglow. The polar ization (and alignment) is obtained by measuring the attenuation of a circularly polarized probe beam provided by a 1.083 mu m laser diode w hose output frequency is scanned to allow separate measurements on the 2 S-3(1) --> 2 P-3(0), 2 S-3(1) --> 2 P-3(1), and 2 S-3(1) --> 2 P-3( 2) transitions. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.