Optical Precursor in Hot Rubidium Vapor

ORAL

Abstract

A pico-second pulse with center wavelength about 795nm was sent through a hot rubidium (Rb) cell. The output pulse was detected by a streak camera with 2 pico-second resolution. The experiment data showed the original pulse separates to a main pulse and a precursor which travels faster than the main pulse. This gives some experiment evidence of the formation of precursor when a step-function-shape electromagnetic pulse travels through a Lorentz absorber, which was proposed by Dr. A. Sommerfeld and Dr. L. Brillouin about 100 years ago.

Authors

  • Wenlong Yang

    • Texas A\&M University
    • Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University

  • Matthew Springer

    • Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University

  • Alexandre Kolomenski

    • Texas A\&M University
    • Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University

  • George Kattawar

    • Texas A\&M University
    • Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University

  • Alexei Sokolov

    • Texas A\&M University
    • Texas A&M University
    • Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University
    • Dept. of Physics, Texas A\&M University