Saturated absorption spectroscopy: elimination of crossover resonances by use of a nanocell

It is demonstrated that velocity selective optical pumping/saturation resonances of reduced absorption in a Rb vapor nanocell with thickness \textit{L=} $\lambda $, 2$\lambda $, and 3$\lambda $ (resonant wavelength $\lambda $ = 780 nm) allow the complete elimination of crossover (CO) resonances. We observe well pronounced resonances corresponding to the F$_{g}=3$ $\to $ F$_{e}=2,3,4$ hyperfine transitions of the $^{85}$Rb D$_{2}$ line with linewidths close to the natural width. A small CO resonance located midway between F$_{g}=3$ $\to $ F$_{e}=3$ and F$_{g}=3$ $\to$ F$_{e}=4$ transitions appears only for \textit{L} = 4$\lambda $. The D$_{2}$ line ($\lambda $ = 852 nm) in a Cs nanocell exhi…