OPTICAL FIELD INDUCED CIRCULAR BIREFRINGENCE DUE TO COLLISION-INDUCED ZEEMAN COHERENCE IN Sm VAPOR

An optical field induced circular birefringence due to collision-induced Zee-man coherence in Sm with He has been observed. The integrated intensity and linewidth of the signal have been measured as a linear function of buffer gas pressure. The cross section for destruction of orientation in the ground state of Sm with He has been obtained.