Collision-Induced Hanle Resonances of Kilohertz Width in Phase-Conjugate Four-Wave Light Mixing

Abstract
Hanle resonances for coherent four-wave mixing in the ground state of Na are reported whose intensity increases and whose linewidth decreases with increasing inert buffer gas pressure. In 10-mTorr Na vapor with 4 atm of argon, resonances of less than 35 mG full width at half maximum are observed. The high resolution permits direct observation of the fundamental homogeneous broadening mechanisms for the Zeeman coherences responsible for four-wave mixing.