Collision-induced photon echo in ytterbium vapour at the transition 0–1: magnetic field effect

Collision-induced photon echo generated in ytterbium vapour at the transition (6s²) ¹S₀ ↔(6s6p) ³P₁ (transition of the type 0 ↔ 1) was investigated in the presence of the longitudinal magnetic field strength between zero and 5.6 G. For the weak magnetic fields, not over 0.27 G, the collision-induced echo signal decreases with magnetic field increase. Further increase of the magnetic field strength reveals oscillatory behavior of the echo signal. Experimental results are in qualitative agreement with theoretical predictions. (letter)