Dynamical electron localization and self-induced transparency in semiconductor superlattices

The mechanisms of the occurrence of self-induced and selective transparencies of semiconductor superlattices in a strong time-dependent electric field are investigated. The association of these mechanisms with Bloch oscillations, dynamical localization, and collapse of electron quasi-energy minibands is analyzed, and a comparison with the properties of Josephson junctions is made. It is shown that the self-induced transparency is due to the fact that the current-contributing component of the electron distribution function is destroyed by collisions at discrete values of the amplitude of the time-harmonic field, while the selective transparency is associated with the nonmonotonic dependence of the spectrum of nonlinear electron oscillations in the electric field on the amplitude of the field. The dynamical localization and collapse of quasi-energy minibands lead to the field energy dissipation and are favorable to destruction of the transparency states of the superlattice.     

A preferred pulse in self-induced transparency

We show that a careful treatment of the propagation of optical pulses in inhomogeneously broadened dielectric media, within the framework of the McCall-Hahn theory, leads to some qualitative deviations from the predictions of McCall and Hahn. These new predictions are in strong conflict with experimental results, and may have interesting implications for theoretical work on “soliton” behavior.     

Self-induced transparency and self-induced darkening with a nonlinear frequency-doubling polarization interferometer

It is shown that the system polarizer-frequency-doubling crystal(s)-analyzer has a nonlinear transmission for the fundamental wave. The intensity-dependent transmission of this device is due to the nonlinear phase shift that the fundamental beam obtains in the nonlinear crystal as a result of cascaded second-order processes. Depending on the mutual orientation of the polarizer and the analyzer such effects as self-induced transparency and self-induced darkening can be realized.     

Polarization effects in self-induced transparency theory

Bloch-Maxwell equations, describing the interaction between two-level atoms and the electromagnetic field, are generalized in the case of an atom with degenerate transition 0 ? 1. The degenerate Bloch-Maxwell model has additional discrete degrees of freedom and makes it possible to investigate the polarization properties of resonance optical phenomena. It is shown that the model is completely integrable. The theory of self-induced transparency for pulses whose polarization is a function of space-time variables is developed.     

On self-induced transparency in laser-plasma interactions

We study fully relativistic nonlinear one-dimensional equations describing steady-state solutions for an electromagnetic wave interacting with a plasma in the self-induced transparency regime. In addition to the well-known solution that corresponds to the transmission of the electromagnetic wave into plasma, another steady-state solution is shown to exist in a certain range of amplitudes of the wave. The latter solution corresponds to total reflection of the incident wave. The coexistence of the two solutions indicates the possibility of hysteretic behavior in the self-induced transparency. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 7, 445–450 (10 October 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Single-peaked self-induced transparency pulses in a degenerate resonant medium

We obtained new analytic closed form solutions for distortionless propagation of ultra-short optical pulses through a resonant medium with overlapping Q(j) transitions for j=2. The steady-state pulse shape of this solution has only one peak. Both 2π and 0π solutions are obtained.     

Peculiarities of self-induced transparency in noncentrosymmetrical media

Journal of Applied Spectroscopy -     

Coherence and self-induced transparency in high-energy hadronic collisions

Two consequences of coherence of mesonic fields have been tested in proton-nucleus collisions. Multiplicity fluctuations measured in finite rapidity intervals are found to obey a Poisson distribution at large rapidities where nuclear transparency occurs. In close analogy to quantum optics we present a quark-parton model in which this link between coherence and transparency is realized via the phenomenon of self-induced transparency.     

Optical self-induced transparency in anisotropic dielectric crystals

Optical self-induced transparency for extraordinary waves in anisotropic crystals is theoretically studied. Crystals in which dipole moments of impurity optically active atoms are arbitrarily oriented relative to the optic axis are analyzed in detail. Explicit analytic expressions for the parameters of nonlinear extraordinary wave are presented, which yield known results in limiting cases.     

Experimental and numerical study of self-induced transparency in a neon absorber

Self-induced transparency on the neon transition 2s ₂(J=1)–2p ₄(J=2) is studied both experimentally by investigating the propagation of 3-nsec laser pulses at 1.15 µm in an absorber discharge and theoretically by a numerical integration of Bloch's equations and the wave equation.—The application of linearly and circularly polarized light corresponds to the interaction with a quasi-nondegenerate and degenerate transition, respectively. Pulse shapes, delays, and transmittancevs. input peak intensity are found in quantitative agreement with the calculated data. While with linear light polarization all SIT characteristics clearly appear, with circular polarization the pulse break-up and the oscillation of transmittance due to optical nutations are washed out.—The homogeneous linewidth derived from pulse delay data agrees with the value from conventional measurements. The results prove SIT useful as a quantitative spectroscopic method.     

Experimental and numerical study of self-induced transparency in a neon absorber

Self-induced transparency on the neon transition 2s ₂(J=1)–2p ₄(J=2) is studied both experimentally by investigating the propagation of 3-nsec laser pulses at 1.15 µm in an absorber discharge and theoretically by a numerical integration of Bloch's equations and the wave equation.—The application of linearly and circularly polarized light corresponds to the interaction with a quasi-nondegenerate and degenerate transition, respectively. Pulse shapes, delays, and transmittancevs. input peak intensity are found in quantitative agreement with the calculated data. While with linear light polarization all SIT characteristics clearly appear, with circular polarization the pulse break-up and the oscillation of transmittance due to optical nutations are washed out.—The homogeneous linewidth derived from pulse delay data agrees with the value from conventional measurements. The results prove SIT useful as a quantitative spectroscopic method.Work supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

Modification of self-induced transparency by a coherent control field

We consider self-induced transparency (SIT) in a two-level atomic system in the presence of an additional control laser field. We find that the dynamics of the SIT process are profoundly modified by the control field, in a manner reminiscent of the modification of other nonlinear optical interactions through the process of electromagnetically induced transparency. The presence of the control field allows SIT to occur under a much broader range of conditions and leads to dramatically reduced values of the group velocity of the SIT soliton.     

Propagation of a self-induced transparency pulse in a spatially dispersive medium

Propagation of a self-induced transparency pulse in spatially dispersive media is analyzed. A generalized model of two-level systems allowing for excitonic energy transfer is proposed. Periodic and soliton solutions to the governing equations are found. Estimates show that the spatial dispersion of a pulse propagating in a slow-light medium can be substantially enhanced and become important in the case of resonant transition and sufficiently long pulse duration.     

Acoustic self-induced transparency for transverse waves in a system with resonant and quasi-resonant transitions

A theoretical analysis of acoustic self-induced transparency is presented for transverse elastic waves propagating perpendicular to an applied magnetic field through a crystal with spin-3/2 paramagnetic impurities. The interaction between an acoustic pulse and magnetic field is described by Maxwell-Bloch-type equations for a system with transitions inhomogeneously broadened because of a quadrupole Stark shift. If the pulse carrier frequency is resonant with one transition and quasi-resonant with another transition, then the evolution of a one-dimensional pulse is described by an integrable Konno-Kameyama-Sanuki (KKS) equation. The underlying physics of its soliton solution and the corresponding behavior of the medium are analyzed. Self-focusing and self-trapping conditions are found for a pulse of finite transverse size. In the latter regime, the pulse stretches along the propagation direction, transforming into a “hollow bullet,” while its transverse size remains constant.     

Vector soliton of self-induced transparency of a generalized love wave

A theory of acoustic self-induced transparency of a two-component vector soliton for a generalized Love wave is constructed. The three-layer system contains a resonance transition layer with paramagnetic impurity atoms or quantum dots. It is shown that, under these conditions, a vector soliton of the generalized Love wave can be formed. It oscillates at the sum and difference frequencies in the vicinity of the carrier wave frequency. Explicit analytical expressions for the parameters of a nonlinear surface acoustic wave are presented. The parameters depend on the elastic properties of the contacting media, the resonance transition layer, and the transverse structure of the wave. Numerical calculations are carried out for the three-layer Al₂O₃/ZnO/SiO₂ system. The significant difference between the two-component vector soliton and singlecomponent soliton is shown.