Enhancing and suppressing four‐wave mixing in electromagnetically induced transparency window

We demonstrate the enhancement and suppression of four‐wave mixing (FWM) in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) window in Y‐type ⁸⁵Rb atomic system. The generated two‐photon FWM signal can be selectively enhanced and suppressed via an EIT window. The EIT of probe as well as the enhancement and suppression of FWM signals can be modified by the sequential‐cascade double dressing. The influence of different probe polarization configurations is also studied. Different polarization states of the probe laser can select different transitions among Zeeman sublevels and different dressing strengths. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi-wave mixing Autler-Townes splitting in the five-level atomic system

We have demonstrated the Autler-Townes (AT) splitting of the four-wave mixing (FWM) process and the six-wave mixing (SWM) process in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) window in five-level atomic vapor of 87 Rb. Moreover we discuss interactions of multi-dressed states. The experimental results agree well with the theoretical analysis.     

Manipulating stored images with phase imprinting at low light levels

Coherent manipulation of stored images is performed at low light levels based on enhanced cross-Kerr nonlinearity in a four-level N-type electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) system. Using intensity masks in the signal pulse, quadratic phase shifts with low nonlinear absorption can be efficiently imprinted on the Fraunhofer diffraction patterns already stored in the EIT system. Fast-Fourier-transform-based numerical simulations clearly demonstrate that the far-field images of the retrieved probe light can be flexibly modulated by applying different signal fields. Our studies could help advance the goals of nonlinear all-optical processing for spatial information coherently stored in EIT systems.     

Polarization of four-wave mixing with electromagnetically induced transparency

The dependence of four-wave mixing (FWM) generated in Rubidium (Rb) vapor with electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) window on polarizations of the incident fields is studied both theoretically and experimentally. The polarization properties of FWM signal under diverse laser polarization configurations are studied and compared. The results indicate that FWM signal is linear polarized when all incident fields are linear polarized. However, FWM becomes elliptical polarized if any incident field is elliptical polarized. Moreover, the polarizations of the incident fields also influence the dressing effect of the coupling field on FWM process. As the polarization of coupling field (or probe field) varying from linear to circular, the dressing effect gets stronger. By controlling the polarizations of the incident beams polarizations, we can manipulate the polarization state of FWM signal and the dressing effect as well.     

Modulation of four-wave mixing via photonic band gap

The dressed four-wave mixing （FWM） in a four-level S5Rb atomic system, experimentally demon- strated in this paper, is comprised by two coexisting processes. One is emission signal due to enhanced nonlinear via electromagnetically induced transparency （EIT）. The other is the Bragg reflection of probe beam because of the created photonic band gap （PBG）, which is affected by both linear and third-order nonlinear susceptibility. Moreover, we have demonstrated that different experimental parameters can significantly influence the measured signal with flexibly controlled PBG. These studies are found useful for understanding the fundamental mechanisms in generated FWM processing.     

Coexisting four-wave mixing and six-wave mixing in three-level atomic system

We demonstrate the coexisting four-wave mixing (FWM) signal and six-wave mixing (SWM) signal which can be enhanced both by electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and optical pumping effect in a common three-level and open four-level inverted-Y type systems of ⁸⁵Rb. We also analyze the effect of optical pumping in different energy level systems by arranging laser beams and comparing the strength of the increased and reduced absorption caused by optical pumping.     

Inhibiting the onset of the three-photon destructive interference in ultraslow propagation-enhanced four-wave mixing with dual induced transparency

We propose a dual electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) based multiwave mixing scheme that retains the significantly enhanced conversion efficiency enabled by ultraslow propagation of pump waves, yet is also capable of inhibiting and delaying the onset of the detrimental three-photon destructive interference that limits the further growth of the four-wave mixing (FWM) field. We show that the new scheme exhibits a wave-matching condition that is fundamentally different from the conventional FWM without EIT, and the efficient generation of the mixing wave is not critically dependent upon the FWM detuning to achieve constructive interference as required in the conventional FWM. These are significant steps forward in enabling applications of ultraslow wave nonlinear optics.     

Continuous-wave four-wave mixing with linear growth based on electromagnetically dual induced transparency

Using Schrodinger-Maxwell formalism, we propose and analyze a continuous-wave four-wave mixing (FWM) scheme for the generation of coherent light in a six-level atomic system based on electromagnetically dual induced transparency. We derive the corresponding explicit analytical expressions for the generated mixing field. We find that the scheme greatly enhances FWM production efficiency and is also capable of inhibiting and delaying the onset of the detrimental three-photon destructive interference by choosing the proper decay rate in the second electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) process.In addition, such an optical process also provides possibilities for producing short-wave-length coherent radiation at low pump intensities.     

Coherent optical detection of highly excited Rydberg states using electromagnetically induced transparency

We demonstrate coherent optical detection of highly excited Rydberg states (up to n=124) using electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), providing a direct nondestructive probe of Rydberg energy levels. We show that the EIT spectra allow direct optical detection of electric field transients in the gas phase, and we extend measurements of the fine structure splitting of the nd series up to n=96. Coherent coupling of Rydberg states via EIT could also be used for cross-phase modulation and photon entanglement.     

Study of width and height of EIT resonance in a Doppler broadened five-level system with varying probe power

We report the experimental observation of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a Doppler broadened rubidium vapour at room temperature for different probe intensities at a fixed pump intensity in a five-level Λ-type system formed by the D₂ transition of ⁸⁵Rb. For a constant pump intensity, we find that the EIT width and height change with the variation of probe intensity. We observe a nonlinear variation of the height of the EIT peak and a linear variation of the width (FWHM) of the EIT signal with probe intensity. In the Doppler broadened multilevel system, we also observe the velocity selective dips along with the EIT signal. A numerical simulation of the probe response signal based on density matrix representation in a five-level system is carried out to reproduce the experimentally observed spectra.     

49S里德堡态的射频双光子光谱

在室温铯原子蒸气池中, 由铯原子基态、激发态和里德堡态构建了阶梯型三能级系统, 研究了里德堡原子阶梯型三能级系统的电磁感应透明(EIT). 在实现电磁感应透明的基础上, 利用16.9 GHz的射频电场耦合相邻的原子里德堡态, 实现49S_1/2→47D_3/2的双光子跃迁, 测量了里德堡原子的射频双光子光谱, 观察到了电磁感应透明光谱的分裂, 进一步研究了电场强度对射频双光子光谱的影响. 利用里德堡原子的EIT效应可实现对射频电场幅值和极化的精密测量, 具有潜在的应用前景.     

超冷铯Rydberg原子的Autler-Townes分裂

主要研究超冷铯Rydberg原子阶梯型三能级系统的Autler-Townes(A-T)分裂.铯原子基态6S_(1/2)、第一激发态6P_(3/2)和Rydberg态形成阶梯型三能级系统,强耦合光共振作用于6P_(3/2)(F′=5)→34D_(5/2)的跃迁,探测光由偏振光谱锁定在6S_(1/2)(F=4)→6P_(3/2)(F′=5)的跃迁,并由双通的声光调制器在其共振跃迁附近扫描,形成的Rydberg原子A-T分裂谱由单光子计数器探测.A-T光谱的双峰间距与耦合光的拉比频率成正比,实验结果与理论计算在耦合光拉比频率Ω_c2π×9 MHz时符合得很好,在拉比频率Ω_c2π×9 MHz时,测量的A-T分裂比理论计算值小13%.产生偏差的主要原因是由于较大的耦合光拉比频率Ω_c增加了激发的Rydberg原子数,Rydberg原子间的相互作用产生了较大的退相干率所致.     

Linear Growth of Continuous-Wave Four-Wave Mixing with Dual Induced Transparency

Using Schrödinger-Maxwell formalism, we propose and analyze an optical four-wave mixing (FWM) scheme for the generation of coherent light in a coherent six-level atomic medium based on dual electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We show that the significantly enhanced conversion efficiency enabled by ultraslow propagation of pump waves has no direct relationship with the single-photon detuning, which is different from the FWM with a single EIT. The most important feature is that our scheme is also capable of inhibiting and delaying the onset of the detrimental three-photon destructive interference that looks like a recent scheme [Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 (2003) 243902] and may be used for generating short-wave-length coherent radiation.     

Effect of four-wave mixing on electromagnetically induced transparency in Λ-type system with a two-photon probe field

Using density matrix equation, we calculate analytically as well as numerically the effect of the four-wave mixing (FWM) field on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in the rubidium 5S_{1/2}-5P_{3/2}-5D_{5/2} Λ-type system with a two-photon probe field. The calculated results are in good agreement with Fulton's experimental results in 1995 Phys. Rev. A 52 2302.     

Resonantly enhanced continuous-wave four-wave mixing with spontaneously generated coherence in a five-state cold atomic medium

Using Schroedinger-Maxwell formalism, we propose and analyse a continuous-wave four-wave mixing (FWM) scheme for the generation of coherent light in a five-state double-A atomic system with or without spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We derive the corresponding explicit analytical expressions for the generated FWM field under the steady-state condition. The influence of hyperfine sublevel and SGC effect on the amplitude of the generated FWM field is predicted in detail via the derived analytical expressions. We also give a brief discussion on the experimental realization of the proposed scheme.     

Spatial weak-light solitons in an electromagnetically induced nonlinear waveguide

We show that a weak probe light beam can form spatial solitons in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) medium composed of four-level atoms and a coupling light field. We find that the coupling light beam can induce a highly controllable nonlinear waveguide and exert very strong effects on the dynamical behavior of the solitons. Hence, in the EIT medium, it is not only possible to produce spatial solitons at very low light intensities but also simultaneously control these solitons by using the coupling-light-induced nonlinear waveguide.     

Quantum interference effects in a multidriven transition Fg=3←→Fe=2

We have theoretically and experimentally studied the quantum coherence effects of a degenerate transition Fg =3←→Fe=2 system interacting with a weak linearly polarized （with σ＋ components） probe light and a strong linearly polarized （with σ＋ components） coupling field. Due to the competition between the drive Rabi frequency and the Zeeman splitting, electromagnetically induced transparency （EIT） and electromagnetically induced absorption （EIA） are present at the different values of applied magnetic field in the case where the Zeeman splitting of excited state Δe is larger than the Zeeman splitting of ground state Δg （i.e.Δe 〉 Δg）.     

Electromagnetically induced self-imaging

We study the self-imaging and image-transforming properties of a probe field in a cold atomic medium with electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). Due to the similarities between the gradient-index medium and the inhomogeneous index distribution of an EIT medium under the conditions of a negative probe detuning and a Gaussian control field, we find based on analytical investigations that there exists a kind of electromagnetically induced self-imaging phenomenon in cold atomic media. Numerical simulations clearly show that electromagnetically induced self-imaging is observable and controllable.     

Controllable beating signal using stored light pulse

We experimentally study the controllable generation of a beating signal using stored light pulses based on electromagnetically induced transparency(EIT) in a solid medium. The beating signal relies on an asymmetric procedure of light storage and retrieval. After storing the probe pulse into the spin coherence under the EIT condition, two-color control fields with opposite detunings instead of the initial control field are used to scatter the stored spin coherence. The controllable beating signal is generated due to alternative constructive and destructive interferences in the retrieved signal intensities. The beating of the two-color control fields is mapped into the beating of weak probe fields by using atomic spin coherence. This beating signal will be important in precise atomic spectroscopy and fast quantum limited measurements.     

铯原子气室中D2线泵浦探测光谱的实验观测

在铯原子气室中采用偏振方向相互垂直且同向传播的线偏泵浦光和探测光，研究了铯原子D2线的泵浦探测光谱。由于在6 S1/2 F=3 – 6 P3/2 F’=2 超精细跃迁中存在多个L型塞曼子能级结构，从而产生了电磁诱导透明导致的吸收减弱；而在6 S1/2 F=4 – 6 P3/2 F’=5 超精细跃迁中则观测到了电磁诱导吸收。通过改变泵浦光的失谐量，在电磁诱导透明形成的吸收减弱凹陷和电磁诱导吸收产生的吸收增强峰内部均观察到了反常的吸收信号反转。