Light-induced atomic desorption from PDMS films and porous glass: application and fundamental issues

Light-induced desorption and diffusion of alkali atoms embedded in dielectric substrates are experimentally and theoretically investigated. The goal is to realize atomic dispensers fully controlled by light, to study the atom-dielectric interaction and to make spectroscopy of atoms confined in micro-nano structures. Very interesting results have been obtained with Rb and Cs in PDMS films and porous glasses.