title: Elimination of line-shape distortion in laser absorption spectroscopy in atomic beams.
abstract: Line shapes observed when direct laser absorption is used in an atomic beam of sodium show asymmetries not present in fluorescence detection. Such line-shape distortion, which can be explained by resonant light diffraction by the atoms in the atomic beam, may be eliminated by imaging the fields in the interaction region at the surface of a detector located outside the beam apparatus.
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Peuse
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Prentiss
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ezekiel