Measurement of the Effective Nonradiative Relaxation Rate near a Metallic Film
Figure 3
Physical and geometric description of the characteristic regions of the glass cell window and Rb vapor interface: (a) thin Rb metallic layer on the glass surface; (b) proximity region of the surface () called the near-field region of the interface; (c) the far-field region of the interface. designates the integrated retrofluorescence signal from the far-field region of the interface. designates the integrated retrofluorescence sub-Doppler hyperfine signal originating from the near-field region. The objects labeled ()–() represent an atom adsorbed on the surface or on an Rb cluster, an Rb atom in the ground level, excited Rb atom undergoing a nonradiative relaxation, radiating (or fluorescent) atom, respectively.
