Pulsed fields generated in rubidium vapor exposed to laser radiation

An experimental investigation was made of an emf generated in a pickup coil when Rb vapor was excited by ruby laser radiation. It was found that the emf varied with the vapor density n as n ^{0.43 ± 0.02} . A rise in temperature up to 280 °C at a constant vapor density resulted in a decrease and disappearance of the signal. Possible processes to explain the observed signal were examined.