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.     

Effects of relative phase in an open ladder system without incoherent pumping

We studied effects of the relative phase between the probe and driving fields on the absorption and dispersion properties in an open three-level ladder system with spontaneously generated coherence but without incoherent pumping. It is shown that by the phase controlling, switching from absorption to lasing without inversion (LWI) and enhancing remarkablely LWI gain can be realized; large index of refraction with zero absorption and the electromagnetically induced transparency can be obtained. We also find that varying the atomic injection and exit rates has a considerable influence on the phase dependent-absorption property of the probe field, existent of the atomic injection and exit rates gives the necessary condition of the realization of LWI, getting LWI is impossible in the corresponding closed system without incoherent pumping.     

Coherent control of optical precursors in a warm atomic system with Doppler effects

We theoretically study coherent control of optical precursors via active Raman gain (ARG) in an N-type warm atomic system. When a step pulse passes through an ARG window, main fields are advanced due to fast-light effect and constructively interference with optical precursors, then an enhanced transient pulse appears. As the control field decreases, the interference effect is strengthened, and the transient pulse builds up and becomes narrow. Moreover, its peak intensity is inverse to the system temperature and also determined by the input-pulse form. The scheme may be useful in designing optical devices in optical communication.     

Investigation of atomic coherence in multilevel systems with embedded tunable dark state superposition

The coherent superposition of two-atomic levels induced by coherent population trapping is employed in the two-level system, the standard three-level Λ type scheme and the four-level N-type systems and a weak probe pulse scans across the system. A theoretical analysis about the response of medium to the probe field is given. It is shown that under different initial conditions, the coherent superposition of the dark state exhibits abundant optical phenomena response to the probe field. It can change the absorption or gain and the dispersion relationship in the medium experienced by the probe. In the embedded three-level scheme, the probe experiences a crossover from absorption to transparent and then to amplification. Consequently the group velocity of the probe pulse can be controlled to propagate either as a subluminal, a standard, a superluminal or even a negative speed. In the embedded four-level N-type system, it can give an enhancement to the Giant Kerr effect and overcome the limitation of two-photon absorption, then make the nonlinear properties of the medium richer than the traditional N-type scheme.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Phase and amplitude control of the inversionless gain in a microwave-driven <Emphasis Type="Bold">Λ</Emphasis>-type atomic system

In order to achieve the phase-sensitive probe gain without population inversion, we investigate a three-level Λ-type atomic system driven by a coherent field and a microwave field. It is shown that, by modulating the relative phase of applied fields, we can obtain quite high inversionless gain at different probe detunings and change the gain behavior of the probe correspondingly. We find that amplitudes of the coherent field and the microwave field are also important factors that can result in different gain behavior of the probe. Here, we use the microwave field to induce the quantum coherence between the two ground levels, which is necessary for phase-sensitive effects, since it can result in the interference between two different transition channels. Received 20 June 2002 / Received in final form 5 December 2002 Published online 4 March 2003     

Squeezing properties of light field in the process preparing Raman atom laser

In this paper, the squeezing properties of the probe light field in the process preparing Raman-type atom laser via stimulated Raman transition of the sodium atom Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) interacting with two light beam of a weaker squeezed coherent probe light and a stronger classical pump light are studied. The results show that the probe light can be periodically squeezed. The squeezing period is related to the mean number of atoms in trap, the strength of interaction between squeezed light and BEC atoms, and the detuning of the light, and the squeezing depth is determined by the initial squeezing factor of the probe light.     

Gain enhancing due to quantum interference effect in an open four-level atomic system with Doppler broadening

The effect of vacuum-induced coherence (VIC) on the gain of lasing without inversion (LWI) is studied in an open four-level atomic system with Doppler broadening for both cases: co- and counter-propagating probe and driving fields. The results show that: (1) in general, for a fixed VIC strength, LWI gain decreases monotonously with the value of the Doppler broadening width increasing. Regardless of the Doppler broadening being obvious or not, the LWI gain much larger than that without VIC always can be gotten by choosing suitable VIC strength, i.e. values of two factors p₁ and p₂ which represent the VIC effect. (2) Varying p₁ or p₂ will produce remarkable different influence on the LWI gain, and the influence is closely related to the value of the Doppler broadening width. (3) In the case of counter-propagating probe and driving fields, when the Doppler broadening is large enough, gain oscillation occurs. For the same value of the Doppler broadening width, the oscillation amplitude increases with increasing values of strength of VIC. (4) The atomic exit and injection rates also can dramatically affect LWI gain. (5) The LWI gain for the co-propagating probe and driving fields is always larger than that for the counter-propagating probe and driving fields. (6) A much larger LWI gain in open system than that in the corresponding closed system can be obtained.     

Upper level and phase controlling group velocity in V-type system

With the external field coupling the two upper levels, we investigate the light pulse propagation properties with weak probe field in a V-type system. Due to the external upper level (UL) coupling field, the dispersion of the system has been influenced by the relative phase. It is shown that the UL field and the relative phase can be regarded as switches to manipulate light propagation between subluminal and superluminal.     

Controllable Optical Bistability and Multistability in a Four-Level Atomic System with Closed-Loop Configuration

We theoretically investigate optical bistability （OB） and multistability （OM） behaviour of a closed-loop configuration atomic system driven by a degenerate coupling- field and a degenerate probe field inside a unidirectional ring cavity. It is found that the OB and OM behaviour can be controlled by adjusting- the intensity and the frequency detuning of the coupling- field, respectively. Interestingly, our numerical results show that it is easy to realize the transition from OB to OM or vice versa by adjusting- the intensity of the coupling- field under a appropriate frequency detuning. The effect of the atomic cooperation parameter on the OB behaviour is also discussed.     

Obtaining high refractive index with vanishing absorption via spontaneously generated coherence and incoherent pumping

A three-level ∧-model atomic system with incoherent pumping is proposed to achieve high refractive index without absorption. In this kind of model, two lower levels are near-degenerate levels. It is found that high refractive index accompanied by vanishing absorption can be always accomplished by adjusting some related parameters. Although probe field is very weak, the SGC effect is prominent in the presence of incoherent pumping.     

Nonlinear gain and dispersion in the four-level Λ-type system

The nonlinear gain and dispersion spectra of a four-level Λ-type system, which driven by a weak probe field and coupling field, is investigated. Using the perturbation method, third-order perturbation iterative solutions of the steady density matrix equations are obtained. We find that effect of the SGC on the nonlinear gain and dispersion are negligible. At the resonant coupling, nonlinear dispersion spectra of the two transition paths are symmetrical about a line, but the nonlinear absorption spectra are symmetrical about a point. The degeneration of the two lower states greatly modifies the nonlinear gain and dispersion spectra.     

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.     

Wigner function and tomogram of the excited squeezed vacuum state

The excited squeezed light (ESL) can be the outcome of interaction between squeezed light probe and excited atom, which can explore the status and the structure of the atom. We calculate the Wigner function and tomogram of ESL that may be comparable to the experimental measurement of quadrature-amplitude distribution for the light field obtained using balanced homodyne detection. The method of calculation seems new.     

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.     

Effects of the upper level coupling field on lasing without inversion in a V-type system

Driven by one upper level coupling field, a three-level V-type atomic system with a pair of upper levels is studied. With one strong coupling field and one weak probe field, it is found that, due to the effects of the upper level coupling field, the quantum coherence between the two upper levels can be induced, and the absorption of the probing field is very sensitive to the relative phase of the probe, the pumping and the upper level coupling fields. With proper parameters, lasing without inversion (LWI) can be realized.     

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.     

Threshold and saturation properties of a solid-state XeF (C-A) excimer laser

A dielectric laser cavity of 1 cm length has been optimized for high gain (7 cm^–1) operation which is achieved in XeF doped Ar crystals. Mode structures on the C-A spectral distribution around 540 nm and far field transverse mode patterns are reported. Photchemical gain burning is observed in the spectral mode structures. The dependence of the laser threshold on pump energy, pumped length and on cavity losses is studied. XeF densities of 7×10¹⁷ cm^–3 and distributed losses of 1.2 cm^–1 are derived. The measured quantum efficiency of 14% and the saturation behaviour are consistently described. Losses by transient aborption and two photon absorption are discussed.