Copyright by Kirsten Viering 2006 - Raizen Lab - The University of ...

Appendix B
Properties of Sodium
In this appendix we want to give a brief overview of the physical properties of Sodium
and the essential experimental parameters as far as they are needed in the context of
this thesis.
B.1 General properties
Sodium has one unpaired electron in the valence orbital, as all alkali atoms do. A
quantum mechanical description of a Sodium atom can be found by starting with
a hydrogen-like atom denoted by the state |nlml〉, where n is the principal quantum
number, l is the angular momentum quantum number and ml the magnetic quantum
number. The valence electron is in a spin state |sms〉. A coupling of the Spin S to the
angular momentum L leads to the total angular momentum J = L + S. Furthermore a
coupling to the nuclear spin I leads to a total angular momentum of F = J +I. The state
of the atom is then described by |αFmF〉, where α stands for all quantum numbers that
are not written explicitly, and |F| = |I − J|, ..., |I + J|, mF = −F, ..., F. In the absence of a
magnetic field, magnetic sublevels with the same value of F are degenerate.
A grotrian diagram of Sodium, neglecting fine and hyperfine splittings, is shown
in fig. B.1. A simple energy level diagram for the ground state and the first excited state,
including fine and hyperfine splittings as well as the magnetic splitting in agreement
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