Magnetically Suppressed 1.315 Micrometers Atomic Iodine Absorption

The influence of a magnetic field on absorption of 1.315 micrometers radiation by iodine atoms has been investigated using the output from a C3F7I photodissociation laser. Atomic iodine was created by thermal dissociation of molecular iodine in a sealed fused silica absorption cell. The cell was placed inside a solenoidal coil creating a longitudinal magnetic field. Absorption of 1.315 micrometers radiation by iodine atoms was reduced by the Zeeman splitting of the hyperfine levels. The amount of absorption reduction was essentially the same for total cell pressures below 22.9 torr over the range of temperatures studied 823 K to 873 K. At a total cell pressure of 66.7 torr, however, pressure broadening of the magnetic hyperfine transition line-widths decreased the effect of the magnetic field on the absorption. Keywords Magnetic field, Absorption, Atomic iodine, Zeeman splitting, Hyperfine levels, Pressure broadening.