Optical pumping of the Na D2 transition with elliptically polarized light

The quantum electrodynamic description of circularly and linearly polarized , single mode radiation exciting atomic transitions in a hyperfine manifold is extended to the more general case of elliptic polarization. Calculation s for the sodium D2 line are tested by observing the line polarization of t he resonance flourescence scattered perpendicular to the plane containing l aser and atomic beams as a function of the laser polarization. Very good ag reement between the calculations and the measurements is achieved. It is de monstrated that predetermined populations and substate coherences can be en gineered by optically pumping the transition with the appropriately polariz ed radiation.