Noise spectroscopy of nonlinear magneto-optical resonances in Rb vapor (10 pages)

Nonlinear magneto-optical resonances occurring for near-zero magnetic field are studied in Rb vapor using light-noise spectroscopy. With a balanced detection polarimeter, we observe high contrast variations of the noise power (at fixed analysis frequency) carried by diode laser light resonant with the 5S{sub 1/2} (F=2){yields}5P{sub 1/2} (F=1) transition {sup 87}Rb and transmitted through a rubidium vapor cell as a function of magnetic field B. A symmetric resonance doublet of anticorrelated noise is observed for orthogonal polarizations around B=0 as a manifestation of ground-state coherence. We also observe sideband noise resonances when the magnetic field produces an atomic Larmor precession at a frequency corresponding to one-half of the analysis frequency. The resonances on the light fluctuations are the consequence of phase to amplitude noise conversion owing to nonlinear coherence effects in the response of the atomic medium to the fluctuating field. A theoretical model (derived from linearized Bloch equations) is presented that reproduces the main qualitative features of the experimental signals under simple assumptions.