Observation of Ramsey Fringes Using a Stimulated, Resonance Raman Transition in a Sodium Atomic Beam

Abstract

Ramsey fringes have been observed using a stimulated, resonance Raman transition at 1772 MHz excited by two dye lasers in a sodium atomic beam. The width of the central fringe is 650 Hz (half width at half maximum), corresponding to a 30-cm interaction-region separation. The fringes are free from laser jitter because the jitters in both laser beams are correlated. Applications to frequency standards as well as to high-resolution spectroscopy in the microwave to far-ir regions are discussed.