Fine-structure mixing collisions of Rb(52D) excited in a two-photon transition using external-cavity cw diode laser

We present an experimental study of fine structure (fs)- mixing in the 5 2 D state of Rb, and details of construction and performance of an external cavity cw diode laser, developed to provide a light source at 778 nm for two-photon excitation of Rb(5 2 D). Cross section for the fs-mixing Rb(5 2 D 5/2 ) yields Rb(5 2 D 3/2 ) in collisions with the ground state Rb(5 2 S 1/2 ) atoms was found to be 5.8 +/- 1.9 (DOT) 10 -14 cm 2 .