Oral: Numerical simulation of dynamic substate populations in alkali vapors

The correlation between Faraday rotation and the electronic spin polarization of optically pumped alkali metal vapors, such as potassium (K) and rubidium (Rb), is a well-known topic in nuclear and atomic physics. However, existing theoretical models, which rely on steady-state approximations, fail to capture the dynamic behavior of substate populations in systems with atomic levels n > 2. This work aims to overcome these limitations by developing a numerical model using python tools that solves the optical Bloch equations for alkali vapors without assuming constant probability densities for the ground and excited states. These assumptions break down under high laser power, as used in optical pumping, where dynamic population changes become significant.

By numerically solving the optical Bloch equations, we calculate the time-dependent substate populations for alkali vapors with high accuracy, providing a more reliable framework for calculating near-resonant Faraday rotations in optically pumped K or Rb vapors. By comparing our numerical findings with the experimental data collected in our laboratory, we aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of magneto-optical phenomena in spin-polarized alkali vapors.