Pressure induced hyperfine shift and broadening rates of the 52S1/2→62P1/2 and 52S1/2→62P3/2 transitions of rubidium with He, Ar, CH4, and C2H6

•Pressure broadening rates for the 52S1/2 to 62P1/2, 62P3/2 transitions were measured.•Collisional shift rates for the 52S1/2 to 62P1/2, 62P3/2 transitions were measured.•Results were compared with other predictions and experiments.

Pressure induced broadening and spectral shift rates have been resolved for the two ground state hyperfine lines in the 52S1/2→62P1/2 and 52S1/2→62P3/2 of 85Rb and 87Rb in the presence of 5-50 Torr of helium, argon, methane, and ethane. Broadening rates averaged over the hyperfine components, for the P1/2 transition for He, Ar, CH4, and C2H6 are 60.2, 45.2, 63.8, and 60.4 MHz/Torr, respectively and 50.4, 42.4, 62.0, and 60.4 MHz/Torr for the P3/2 transition. Average spectral shift rates for the P1/2 transition were found to be 15.7, −11.5, −18.1, and −19.9 MHz/Torr for He, Ar, CH4, and C2H6, respectively, and 3.1, −12.6,−21.8, and −19.9 MHz/Torr for the P3/2 transition. Deviation in broadening and shift rates between hyperfine lines was found to be as high as 16 and 7.6 MHz/Torr respectively.