Quantitative detection of atomic absorption by intracavity dye-laser quenching

Abstract
A new technique for quantitative detection of atomic absorption by intracavity dye-laser quenching is studied. For the sodium D2 line, a sensitivity of 7 × 104 atoms/cm3 × 1% quenching is obtained; and the sensitivity in single-pass detection is 4 × 108 atoms/cm3 × 1% absorption for a 15-cm cell. Use of a cw dye laser improves the sensitivity and the stability. The dependence of the sensitivity on the bandwidth of laser action is measured, and a simple theoretical consideration is given for single-pass absorption.