Temperature dependence of the adsorption time of cesium atoms on a glass surface

Summary form only given. Reflection spectroscopy at a dielectric/atomic vapor interface allows one to study the properties of atoms close to a surface, within a depth of the order of the optical wavelength. We report on the use of evanescent wave spectroscopy to determine the temperature dependence of the adsorption time of Cs atoms on the pyrex window of an ordinary optical cell. Saturated absorption (SA) spectroscopy in a vapor is known to be a velocity selective technique, yielding Doppler-free spectra. In the presence of velocity changing collisions, SA spectroscopy can also provide information on the velocity redistribution (the collision kernel) provided that the pumping effect has not been totally washed out in the course of the collisional process.