Photon echo in ruby doped only by 53Cr isotope ions

• Published in: Laser physics letters 2008-08, Vol.5 (8), p.603-607
• Main Authors: Samartsev, V.V., Shegeda, A.M., Shkalikov, A.V., Mitrofanova, T.G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 53Cr isotope; beats; hyperfine interaction; photon echo; ruby
• ISSN: 1612-2011; 1612-202X
• DOI: 10.1002/lapl.200810037

The signals of photon echo (PE) are investigated firstly in a ruby crystal doped only by the 53Cr isotope ions in a concentration of 0.03 – 0,05 wt%. The optical experiments were performed in backward regime at the wavelength of 693.4 nm both with a low magnetic field (200 G) and without it. Since the 53Cr isotope ions have hyperfine structure of levels the special attention was paid to the study of the stimulated photon echo and primarily to the investigation of its decay kinetics. It is established that this decay has a form which is typical to the signals of longlived PE. But in contrast to the long‐lived PE the decay time in our case is less than the lifetime of the excited 2E ($ \bar E $) state. The signals of primary photon echo and stimulated photon echo at a low longitudinal magnetic field and their decay curves are investigated. We observed the beats of temporal shape of these signals with a period of several tens of nanoseconds. Theoretical analysis shows that they are due to the hyperfine interaction of valence electrons of 53Cr isotope ions with their own nuclei. The obtained decay curves allow us to estimate the phase relaxation time at the presence of a magnetic field. It proves to be equal to 98 ns. The spectrum of stimulated photon echo signal in the doped ruby exposed to a magnetic field is measured. (© 2008 by Astro Ltd., Published exclusively by WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA)