Observation of the resonant Stark effect at optical frequencies

Abstract

The spectrum of resonantly scattered light at right angles to a sodium atomic beam is reported. The light source was a CW dye laser tuned to resonance with a hyperfine component of the D2 line, and incident at right angles to the atomic beam. The spectrum, with the Stark effect sidebands, was recorded as a function of both the laser intensity and its detuning from resonance. The overall resolution is better than 20 MHz.