Non‐electromagnetically induced transparency mechanisms for slow light

We show how the pump‐induced sharp holes in homogeneously or inhomogeneously broadened absorption line shapes can be used for the production of ultra‐slow light. We present a detailed discussion of underlying concepts and results on the pump power dependences of the group index and the bandwidth–delay product. Further, we discuss experimental results, which are in agreement with theoretical predictions.     

Ultrafast population transfer in a Λ-configuration level system driven by few-cycle laser pulses

The feasibility of population transfer from a populated level via an intermediate state to the target level driven by fewcycle pulses is theoretically discussed.The processes of on-or far-resonance stimulated Raman scattering with sequential or simultaneous ultrashort pulses are investigated respectively.We find that the ultrashort pulses with about two optical cycles can be used to realize the population operation.This suggests that the population transfer can be completed in the femtosecond time scale.At the same time,our simulation shows that the signal of the carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effect can be enlarged due to quantum interference in some conditions.Our theoretic study may promote the research on the coherent control via ultrashort pulses in the related fields.     

Surface plasmon polaritons frequency-blue shift in low confinement factor excitation region

Surface plasmon polaritons' (SPPs') frequency blue shift is observed in finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation of parallel electron excitation Au bulk structure. Comparing with cold dispersion of SPPs, an obvious frequency blue shift is obtained in low confinement region excitation simulation results. Then, according to SPPs' transverse attenuation characteristics, the excited frequency mode instead of cold dispersion corresponding frequency mode matches it. Thence, this excited mode is confirmed to be SPPs' mode. As is well known the lower the frequency, the smaller the confinement factor is and the lower the excitation efficiency, the wider the bandwidth of excited SPPs is. And considering the attenuation in whole structure, the excited surface field contains attenuation signal. In a low confinement factor region, the higher the SPPs' frequency, the higher the excitation efficiency is, while broadband frequency information obtained in attenuation signal provides high frequency information in stimulation signal. Thence, in the beam-wave interaction, as the signal oscillation time increases, the frequency of the oscillation field gradually increases. Thus, compared with cold dispersion, the frequency of excited SPP is blueshifted This hypothesis is verified by monitoring the time domain signal of excited field in low and high confinement factor regions and comparing them. Then, this frequency-blue shift is confirmed to have commonality of SPPs, which is independent of SPPs' material and structure. Finally, this frequency-blue shift is confirmed in an attenuated total reflection (ATR) experiment. Owing to frequency dependence of most of SPPs' devices, such as coherent enhancement radiation and enhancement transmission devices, the frequency-blue shift presented here is of great influence in the SPPs applications.     

Effects of a one-dimensional surface defect on designer surface plasmon polaritons

By using a finite difference time domain(FDTD) method,the effects of a one-dimensional(1D) surface defect on designer surface plasmon polaritons(designer SPPs) supported by a 1D metallic grating in THz domain are investigated.When the size of the defect is in a special range which is not too large,the designer SPPs reflected and scattered by the defect are weak enough to be neglected.The defect only induces a disturbance in the energy distribution of the designer SPP supported by the whole defect grating.If the defect size exceeds the said range,the reflecting and scattering are dominant in the influences of the defect on designer SPPs.Our analysis opens opportunities to control and direct designer SPPs by introducing a 1D defect,especially in low frequency domain.     

Solution to the Landau-Zener problem via Susskind-Glogower operators

We show that, by means of a right-unitary transformation, the fully quantized Landau-Zener Hamiltonian in the weak-coupling regime may be solved by using known solutions from the standard Landau-Zener problem. In the strong-coupling regime, where the rotating wave approximation is not valid, we show that the quantized Landau-Zener Hamiltonian may be diagonalized in the atomic basis by means of a unitary transformation; hence allowing numerical solutions for the few photons regime via truncation.     

Surface plasmon dispersion relation for spherical metal particles

Using the hydrodynamical model, we have obtained the surface plasmon dispersion relation for spherical metallic particles in the following two cases: (1) a sharp surface cut off in electron density and (2) a diffused electron density at the surface. The diffused density is modelled with a step function. The diffuse nature of the electron density at surface of the metal particle is necessary to understand the experimental result for particles with small radii. Shift in the absorption frequency is estimated and found to be small.     

Surface plasmon-polaritons on ultrathin metal films

We discuss the surface plasmon-polaritons used for ultrathin metal films with the aid of linear response theory and make comparisons with the known result given by Economou E N. In this paper we consider transverse electromagnetic fields and assume that the electromagnetic field in the linear response formula is the induced field due to the current of the electrons. It satisfies the Maxwell equation and thus we replace the current (charge) term in the Maxwell equation with the linear response expectation value. Finally,taking the external field to be zero,we obtain the dispersion relation of the surface plasmons from the eigenvalue equation. In addition,the charge-density and current-density in the z direction on the surface of ultrathin metal films are also calculated. The results may be helpful to the fundamental understanding of the complex phenomenon of surface plasmon-polaritons.     

十字结构银纳米线的表面等离极化激元分束特性

金属纳米线波导可以将光局域在亚波长尺度内传播, 在纳米光子集成回路方面有着重要的作用. 本文应用有限元方法, 研究了十字结构银纳米线的表面等离极化激元分束特性. 结果表明, 不同模式的表面等离极化激元在十字结构三个分支的输出依赖于端面的几何结构参数. 此外, 研究还发现由于不同模式表面等离极化激元叠加, 在十字结构的分支上出现了周期性电场分布.     

Radiative frequency shift without ultraviolet divergency in a two-level hydrogenic atom

Summary By taking into account the retardation effects a finite result for the frequency shift of the Lyman α-radiation from a two-level hydrogenic atom is obtained. This result shows a nonnegligible correction as compared to previous results obtained in the dipole approximation with a cut-off frequency.     

Gauge-invariant treatment of the exponential decay of an unstable atomic state

Summary By using a self-consistent projection-operator method, developed recently by the present author, a gauge-invariant Markovian treatment of the spontaneous decay of an unstable atomic state is presented. Without ignoring retardation and electron-spin effects a gauge-invariant result for the probability amplitude of finding the atom in the unstable state is obtained.     

Determination of the saturation parameter of electronic transition in a uranium-neon hollow-cathode discharge by optogalvanic spectroscopy

Summary The optogalvanic signal (OGS) induced in a uranium-neon hollow-cathode discharge was measured as a function of the laser power density for the 0→16900 cm⁻¹ (591.5 nm) uranium transition. Theoretical relations derived by solving a two-level system rate equations showed the OGS dependence on the laser photon flux, for a modulated c.w. light and for stimulated transitions starting from the ground state. A fitting of the theoretical relations to the experimental measurements allowed the determination of the σ₀ τ product, that is, the saturation parameter of the transition. The results showed good agreement between the σ₀ τ values obtained by the optogalvanic and the usual optical absorption processes.     

Three-level Doppler-free two- and three-photon resonances

Summary We analyse saturated-absorption and two-photon absorption line shapes in Doppler-broadened three-level systems with nearly degenerate resonance frequencies. The two counterpropagating equal-frequency laser beams of arbitrary intensity irradiating the sample are allowed to couple to both atomic transitions. Various Doppler-free resonances associated to two- and three-photon effects occur. Their saturating behaviour is analysed. A comparison is made with experiments by Woerdmann and Schuurmans and by Himbertet al. To speed up publication, the authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Inclusion of retardation effects in the nonrelativistic treatment of the lamb shift

Summary The retardation effects are included in the nonrelativistic calculation of the Lamb shift, by using a method which exploits theO(4) symmetry of the nonrelativistic hydrogen atom. This method has been previously applied by Lieber to the treatment of the Lamb shift. However, in contrast to his calculations, no kind of dipole approximation, leading to the introduction of an inconsistent cut-off frequency, is used in our treatment. Apart from obtaining cut-off-independent results, the inclusion of retardation effects makes also possible the calculation of the spin-radiation-field Lamb-shift contribution (which vanishes in the dipole approximation). Furthermore, our unambiguous renormalization, consisting of removing the unobservable free-electron self-energy contribution from our expressions, leads to finite analytical and numerical results for the energy level (Lamb) shifts. The comparison of these results with those obtained in a nonrelativistic treatment by other authors shows that our results are in better agreement with the experiment.     

A hollow cathode for high-resolution optogalvanic spectroscopy: Application to uranium

Summary We report the design criteria and performance characteristics of a hollow-cathode tube developed especially for high-resolution Doppler-free laser spectroscopy. It is simple to construct and is easily demountable. Narrow homogeneous line widths of refractory and highly reactive-element transitions have been observed by applying intermodulated detection scheme. To speed up publication, the authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction.     

Density effects on the spectral intensities of dielectronic satellite line in dense plasmas

Summary In this paper we present a theoretical analysis of the spectral intensity of dielectronic satellite lines in dense plasmas. The ion microfield causes an oscillator strength mixing that alters the spectral intensity of such a transition. Numerical calculations of this high-density effect have been performed for the most intense 2l2l′→1s2l He-like transitions.

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Riassunto In questo articolo si presenta un'analisi teorica dell'intensità spettrale delle linee di satellite dielettroniche in plasmi densi. Il microcampo ionico causa un mescolamento delle forze dell'oscillatore che modifica l'intensità spettrale di una tale transizione. Si sono effettuati calcoli numerici di questo effetto ad alta densità per le transizioni più intense del tipo 2l2l′→1s2l.

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Резюме В этой работе мы предлагаем теоретический анализ спектральной интенсивности диэлектронных линий сателлитов в плотной плазме. Микрополе иона вызывает смешивание сил осцилляторов, что изменяет спектральную интенсивность такого перехода. Проведены численные вычисления эффекта высокой плотности для наиболее интенсивных Не-подобных переходов 2l2l′→1s2l.

     

Gauge independence of the non-relativistic Lamb shift including retardation effects

Summary It is shown that the non-relativistic Lamb shift (including retardation effects), obtained in the second-order perturbation theory, is gauge independent.     

Non-relativistic exact transition matrix elements for hydrogenic atoms

Summary By using a general formula due to Moses (Phys. Rev. A,8, 1710 (1973)) exact matrix elements for different transitions in non-relativistic amomic hydrogen are evaluated explicitly.     

Surface plasmon polaritons of symmetric and asymmetric metamaterial slabs

The p and s-polarized surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) of symmetric and asymmetric slabs formed arbitrarily by four types of conventional materials: dielectrics, negative dielectric permittivity materials, negative magnetic permeability materials, and left-handed materials are comprehensively analysed. The existence regions, dispersion relations, and excitation of SPPs in different frequency regions are investigated in detail. For symmetric slabs, the numbers and the frequency positions of surface polariton branches are quite different. At the same time, the pairs of the p or s-polarized SPP branches occur in the same frequency range. For asymmetric slabs, the SPP branches in mid- and high-frequency ranges are greatly different. In addition, the slab thickness has a great effect on SPPs of asymmetric and symmetric slabs. The attenuated total reflection spectra for the cases of p and s polarizations in these slabs are also calculated.     

Anomalous microwave reflection from a metal surface induced by spoof surface plasmon

The reflection of X-band microwaves (8-12 GHz) from a metallic aluminum (Al) surface with groove grating corrugations was investigated experimentally. It was shown that the reflection of p-polarization is much less than the microwave reflected from the corresponding area of an unruled Al surface, with selective wavelength. The experimental results demonstrated that the anomalous microwave reflection is strongly associated with the excitation of spoof surface plasmons at the Al-air interface by the surface grating coupler. This near-total absence of reflected microwaves is similar to the famous Wood's anomaly in the optical regime and is of fundamental importance to the applications of spoof surface plasmons in the microwave regime.