OSCILLATORY DYNAMICS IN LIGHT-INDUCED DRIFT

The light-induced drift velocity of optically active atoms immersed in a buffer gas sometimes changes sign at some temperature. It is pointe d out that the density of the active atoms and the temperature of the system form a nonlinear dynamical system that may exhibit instabilitie s. These may show up as an oscillatory behavior of these quantities as a function of time. A possible realization in the case of alkali-meta l atoms is discussed.