Optical cascade pumping of the 7P3/2 level in cesium atoms

Doppler-free absorption spectra of resonance laser fields are studied upon two-stage excitation of cesium atoms according to the schemes 6S_1/2→6P_3/2→6D_5/2 and 6S_1/2→6P_3/2→8S_1/2. The obtained experimental results are in qualitative agreement with the theory. In the case of weak absorption saturation, the width of resonances is mainly determined by two-photon transitions. The efficiencies of the two variants of two-stage excitation of the 7P_3/2 level are compared. The possibility of fabrication of a gas laser operating on the 455-nm 7P_3/2→6S_1/2 transition with the optical depopulation of the lower operating level by an additional laser is discussed.