Slow light propagation via quantum coherence in a semiconductor quantum well

With the Schrödinger equations, we investigate the low-intensity light pulse propagation through a semiconductor quantum wells. Through studying the dispersion and absorption properties of the weak probe field, it is shown that slow light propagation is observed in this system. From the view point of practical purpose, it is more advantageous than its corresponding atomic system. Such investigation of slow light propagation may lead to important practical applications in semiconductor quantum information.     

Effect of spontaneously generated coherence on probe response in an open system

The effect of spontaneously generated coherence on the probe response in an open ladder atomic system with equispaced levels is studied. The result shows that by adjusting the strength of spontaneously generated coherence (SGC), electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and high dispersion (index of refraction) with zero absorption can be realized, a much larger gain without inversion (GWI) than that without SGC can be obtained. Moreover, in the open system and for some strength of SGC, GWI without the incoherent pumping is much larger than that with the incoherent pumping; however, in the corresponding closed system, when the incoherent pumping is absent, we cannot obtain any gain (with or without inversion) for any strength of SGC. In addition, the manipulation role of the atomic exit and injection rates on SGC-dependent absorption property is analyzed for the case when the incoherence pumping does not exist.     

Control of group velocity of light via magnetic field

We have theoretically studied the effects of quantum coherence in a driven quasi-degenerate two-level atomic system. We have shown that the quantum interference, which can be destructive or constructive, can be controlled by an externally applied magnetic field allowing one to implement both electromagnetically induced transparency and electromagnetically induced absorption in the same atomic system. Determined by frequency dispersion of the index of refraction of the system, the group velocity of light pulses ranges from ultra-slow to superluminal with changing of the magnitude of the magnetic field.     

Phase-dependent gain and absorption properties of mid- to far-infrared lights in three-coupled-quantum-wells

We investigate the phase-dependent gain and absorption behaviors of mid- to far-infrared lights under a cascade configuration in an asymmetric semiconductor three-coupled-quantum-well (TCQW) structure based on intersubband transitions (ISBTs). In the proposed TCQW scheme, the amplification of the probe and signal fields, i.e., the far- and mid-infrared waves, can be realized with realistic experimental parameters. The gain-absorption spectra are strongly dependent on the relative phase of the applied laser fields. The influences of the probe detuning and the two pump Rabi energies on the gain-absorption responses of two weak far- and mid-infrared light fields are also discussed in details. The results show that amplifications of the far- and mid- infrared waves can be achieved by adjusting the relative phase, the probe detuning, and the two pump Rabi energies appropriately. Such a semiconductor system is much more practical than its atomic counterpart because of its flexible design and the wide adjustable parameters. For practical applications, this investigation may provide a new possibility for realizing the efficient gain of far- and mid-infrared waves in the solid-state materials.     

Spatial evolutions of inversionless gain and lasing field intensity in an open V-type system with SGC

This paper studies manly spatial evolution of gain without inversion (GWI) and the Rabi frequency E (intensity ?_p) of the probe field in an open V-type three-level inversionless lasing system with spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) for both cases with and without Doppler broadening. We found that: (1) Varying sizes of SGC strength (measured by angle θ), atomic exit rate (r₀) and ratio (S) of the atomic injection rates has remarkable effect on spatial evolutions of GWI and E (?_p). This effect in the case with Doppler broadening is similar to but weaker than that in the case without Doppler broadening. (2) Regardless of that Doppler broadening is present or not, GWI and E (?_p) increase with increase of θ, r₀ and S in certain value ranges of θ, r₀ and S; in the case with SGC we can obtain GWI and E (?_p) much larger than those in the case without SGC, while by choosing values of γ₀ and S, in the open system we can obtain LWI gain and E (?_p) much larger than those in the corresponding closed system. (3) The propagation distance in which GWI exists in the case with Doppler broadening is longer than that in the case without Doppler broadening; in the case without Doppler broadening, we can obtain larger GWI than that in the case with Doppler broadening; but in the case with Doppler broadening, we can obtain larger E (?_p) than that in the case without Doppler broadening.     

Six-Fold Degenerate Dark States in a Four-Level Atomic System

With all driving fields on Raman resonance, a tripod-type atomic system quickly evolves into a dark state decoupled from the lossy excited level. The dark state depends strongly on field Rabi frequencies, spontaneous decay rates, and the initial atomic population in a complicated way. Analytical results reveal that it is a sixfold degenerate dark state with its three components superposed both coherently and incoherently due to population redistribution from spontaneous emission.     

Evolution of population in an equispaced three-level ladder-type atomic system

Transient response of nearly equispaced three-level ladder-type atomic system with a broad-band squeezed vacuum (SV) is investigated. We focus our attention in the interplay between the quantum interference and the squeezed field on the population distribution. It is shown that an atomic population inversion can be attained on one of the optical transitions due to the SV. Additionally, we show, with the proper value of the relative phase, the SV can also lead to unexpected population inversion on the transition between two different levels.     

Coherent control of a light field with electromagnetically induced transparency in a dark state Raman coherent tripod system

A dark state superposition is employed and formed a tripod-like system. A weak probe pulse propagates in it can experience a crossover from absorption to transparent and then to amplification, and its group velocity can be controlled in any desired speed by determining the initial states of the dark state superposition.     

Amplification without population inversion in molecules

We have studied the feasibility of amplification without population inversion (AWI) in LiH molecule for three-level ladder, V, and Λ schemes. We have shown the salient features of AWI in a molecular system in comparison to that in an atomic system, viz. the dependence of gain profile on the choice of different rotational and vibrational transitions. Under different three-level schemes, the effect of homogeneous and inhomogeneous broadening on the gain profile has been studied. We have also studied the dependence of gain on different external parameters. The temporal evolution of gain has been analyzed and it was found that AWI is achievable in both the transient and the steady state regime. For all the three-level schemes and in particular for the ladder scheme, amplification of the weak probe was obtained using a coupling laser of smaller frequency.     

Coherent hole-burnings induced by a bichromatic laser field

In a Doppler-broadened three-level Λ-type system driven simultaneously by a coupling laser and two equal-amplitude saturating laser fields with a frequency difference 2δ, the absorption spectrum of a weak probe laser exhibits multiple deep spectral holes through coherent hole-burning CHB with controllable numbers, widths, depths, and positions. More significant, changing δ or lasers directions, CHBs can degenerate into narrower and deeper spectral holes where the slope of the refractive index is very steep. The multiple narrow spectral holes in a single absorption profile are expected to have potential applications in high density storage, optical information processes, and slow-light.     

The manipulating of electromagnetically induced transparency in Pr: Y2SiO5 crystal by a rf-driving field

We studied theoretically the effect of an additional rf-driving field on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and group velocity of a probe light in Pr³⁺:Y₂SiO₅ crystal. The results show that more than one EIT widnows could be opened and their position, intensity can be controlled by the rf-driving field. The depth and position of the minimum of group velocity could also be manipulated by the rf field.     

Optical bistability in a triple semiconductor quantum well structure with tunnelling-induced interference

We study the behavior of optical bistability (OB) in a triple semiconductor quantum well structure with tunnelling-induced interference, where the system is driven coherently by the probe laser inside the unidirectional ring cavity. The results show that we are able to control efficiently the bistable threshold intensity and the hysteresis loop by tuning the parameters of the system such as laser frequency and tunnelling-induced frequency splitting. This investigation can be used for the development of new types of nanoelectronic devices for realizing switching process.     

Comparison of transient process between open and closed ladder-type systems with spontaneously generated coherence and incoherent pumping

We theoretically investigated transient response of open and closed three-level ladder-type atomic system with or without the spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) which could be satisfied with the help of an incoherent pumping. The existence of the SGC effect makes the open and closed system to be distinguished. We compared transient response of weak probe between open and closed system and found that transient properties exhibit different features by adjusting some related parameters, such as the relative phase between probe and coupling fields, the angle between two dipole moments.     

Transient gain-absorption of the probe field in asymmetric semiconductor quantum wells

Under the weak-probe approximation, we theoretically investigate the transient gain-absorption property of the probe field in a four-level asymmetric semiconductor quantum well system. We find that the strength of Fano interference and the energy splitting affect the transient gain-absorption property of the weak continuous-wave (CW) probe field or Gaussian-pulse probe field dramatically. The dependence of transient gain-absorption property of the probe field on the intensity and the frequency detuning of the strong coupling field is also given. Our study is much more practical than its atomic counterpart due to its flexible design and the controllable interference strength. Thus, it may provide some new possibilities for technological applications.     

Efficient four-wave mixing of a coupled double quantum-well nanostructure

We propose an efficient four-wave mixing (FWM) scheme in an asymmetric semiconductor double quantum-well (SDQW) structure based on intersubband transitions, and obtain the corresponding explicit analytical expressions for the input probe and generated FWM pulsed fields by use of the coupled Schrödinger-Maxwell approach. Under the resonant and phase-matched conditions, the FWM efficiency versus several variables is also discussed in details and the maximum FWM efficiency of the system under study is greater than 25%. Such a semiconductor system is much more practical than its atomic counterpart because of its flexible design and the controllable interference strength. This nonlinear optical process in the SDQW solid-state material can be used for efficiently generating coherent short-wavelength radiation.     

Three-Photon Resonant Nondegenerate Six-Wave Mixing in a Dressed Atomic System

We report a three-photon resonant nondegenerate six-wave mixing （NSWM） in a dressed cascade five-level system. It has advantages that phase match condition is not stringent and NSWM signal is enhanced tremendously due to the multiple resonance with the atomic transition frequencies. In the presence of a strong coupling field, the threephoton resonant NSWM spectrum exhibits＂ Autler-Townes splitting. This technique provides a spectroscopic tool for measuring not only the resonant frequency and dephasing rate but also the transition dipole moment between two highly excited atomic states.     

Control of the optical multistability in a three-level ladder-type quantum well system

We theoretically investigated a hybrid absorptive-dispersive optical multistability (OM) behavior in a three-level ladder-type quantum well system inside a unidirectional ring cavity. We find that the frequency detuning of the control field and the electronic cooperation parameter as well as the total decay rates can affect the optical multistability behavior dramatically, which can be used to manipulate efficiently the threshold intensity and the hysteresis loop. The effect of the intensity of the control field on the OM is also studied. Our study is much more practical than its atomic counterpart due to its flexible design and the wide adjustable parameters. Thus it may provide some new possibilities for technological applications in optoelectronics and solid-state quantum information science.     

Coherent control of optical bistability in tunnel-coupled double quantum wells

We analyze optical bistability (OB) behavior based on intersubband transitions in an asymmetric coupled-quantum well (CQW) driven coherently by a probe laser field and a control laser field by means of a unidirectional ring cavity. We demonstrate that OB can be controlled by tuning the energy splitting between two tunnel-coupled electronic levels, the intensity of the control field, and the frequency detuning of the probe and control fields. The influence of the electronic cooperation parameter on the OB behavior is also discussed. This investigation may be used for optimizing and controlling the optical switching process in the CQW solid-state system, which is much more practical than that in atomic system because of its flexible design and the controllable interference strength.     

Local Modulation of Double Electromagnetically Induced Transparency Spectrum

The double electromagnetically induced transparency induced by two coupling fields can be realized in a fourlevel tripod-type atom. Such double transparency spectra can be locally modulated by using the weak coherent fields to perturb the coupling transitions. These investigations within this scheme can be independent of Doppler broadening by properly orienting these fieds.     

Effects of squeezed vacuum on transient optical response in a ∧ system

The effects of the squeezed vacuum (SV) on the transient optical properties in a ∧-type three-level atomic medium with or without the vacuum-induced coherence (VIC) are investigated in this paper. We find that the oscillatory amplitude of the optical spectra, the transient absorption (gain), and the response time from the transient to the steady situation are remarkably dependent on the SV. When including the VIC, the transient and steady optical properties display a reverse variation with the SV. Additionally, it is interesting to find that the steady population distribution is kept at the same value for different initial conditions in the presence of SV.