This dissertation describes several experiments in which alkali--rare gas laser systems are utilized as a simple platform with which to isolate and study atom-atom interactions and fundamental physical processes that are ...

Experiments are described in which the lower excited states of alkali-rare gas diatomic molecules are probed in alkali vapor-noble gas mixtures by laser spectroscopy. A two color scheme for pumping the alkali D2 line laser ...

Probing the interactions between a mode-locked laser pulse and saturated rubidium vapor with a pump–probe technique has resulted in observations of coherences within the atom that persist longer than 150 ps. Quantum beats ...