A resonance ionization imaging detector based on cesium atomic vapor

A novel Cs resonance ionization imaging detector (RIID) has been developed and evaluated. The detector is capable of two-dimensional imaging with high spectral resolution, which is determined by the Doppler broadened atomic linewidth of Cs at given temperature. Ionization schemes of Cs have been investigated using dye and color center tunable lasers pumped by an excimer laser and by a Nd:YAG laser. It has been experimentally shown that the most efficient ionization scheme for Cs RIID should include a three-step excitation/ionization ladder, for example, with transitions at λ1=852.11 (852.113) nm, λ2=917.22 (917.2197) nm, and λ3=1064 nm. The imaging capabilities of the detector have been evaluated using a simpler two-step ionization scheme with wavelengths λ1=852.11 nm and λ2=508 nm.