Effects of magnetic fields on magnetic grating free induction decay (MGFID) in a cold Rb vapor

Summary form only given. The magnetic grating free induction decay (MGFID) may be produced in a sample of room temperature (300 K) /sup 35/Rb, demonstrating the coherence between alternate magnetic sublevels. The decay rate of this coherence is dominated by the dispersal of the atoms and proportional to the most probable velocity u of the atoms. By slowing and confining the atoms in a magnetooptic trap, the decay rate may be reduced by several orders of magnitude.