Abstract
The collisionally broadened optical absorption cross section that is constant at low intensities is predicted to decrease at high intensities. The prediction is based on a nonlinear change of the effective interaction of the atom with the strong incident electromagnetic field and a distortion of the atomic interaction potential by it. An experiment is analyzed here that observes this falloff on the “wing” of the 460.73-nm strontium resonance line, collision broadened by an argon buffer gas. Qualitative agreement is reached between theory and experiment when the degeneracy of the levels is taken into account.
© 1978 Optical Society of America
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