Relative amplitudes of external satellites of superfine-structure multiplets in the saturated absorption spectrum of SiF4

Variation of amplitudes of Doppler-free saturated absorption resonances as a result of changes in the gas pressure and power of light waves is studied theoretically and experimentally. The results of the investigation are used for the interpretation of weak satellites of superfine-structure multiplets in the spectrum related to tunnel transitions between energy states of a molecule corresponding to its rotation about equivalent symmetry axes. Relative amplitudes of satellites of the AFE and FEF multiplets of the superfine structure of the SiF4 molecule in the frequency tuning interval of a CO2 laser operating at the P(38) line of the 9.7-µm band are studied experimentally. It is confirmed that the variation of relative amplitudes of the satellites is caused mainly by the fact that the magnitudes of the self-induced transparency of the medium that are created by each light wave for itself are different for the main resonances of the multiplet and for their satellites. The discrepancy between the experimental and theoretical dependences of the relative amplitudes of the satellites upon variation of the gas pressure and power of light waves is analyzed. Based on the discovered discrepancy, it is suggested that molecular collisions with Bennett dip or peak transfer contribute to the formation of satellites of the FEF multiplet. Multiphoton processes participate in the formation of one of the multiplets of the FEF multiplet. It is suggested that the power of the light field partially lifts the ban on transitions participating in the formation of satellites of both studied multiplets. Processing of the experimental curves by the leastsquares method revealed spectrally unresolved satellites within the FEF multiplet, which represent crossover resonances between allowed and forbidden transitions. For these satellites, no additional dependence of the amplitude on the laser power or gas pressure was found. The dependence of the amplitude of these satellites is completely determined by different for the main resonances and satellites magnitudes of self-induced transparency of the medium experienced by each light wave.