High contrast atomic magnetometer based on coherent population trapping

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of the coherent population trapping （CPT） resonance excited on the D1 line of 87Rb atoms by bichromatic linearly polarized laser light. The experimental results show that a lin｜｜lin tran- sition scheme is a promising alternative to the conventional circular-circular transition scheme for an atomic magnetometer. Compared with the circular light transition scheme, linear light accounts for high-contrast transmission resonances, which makes this excitation scheme promising for high-sensitivity magnetometers. We also use linear light and circular light to detect changes of a standard magnetic field, separately.     

Temperature dependence of coherent population trapping resonances

We measure the properties of coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in Cs vapor cells as a function of temperature. We expected the CPT signal to increase with higher vapor density, but instead the signal fades away above a certain density. Two possible density-dependent explanations are discussed: spin-exchange collisions, which are found to give no relevant contribution at the temperatures considered here, and increased absorption due to the optical thickness of the vapor. The dependence of the dark-line resonance amplitude as a function of cell temperature can be well represented by a simple model based on the optical thickness of the vapor as a function of temperature. Received: 30 November 2001 / Published online: 7 February 2002     

Review of chip-scale atomic clocks based on coherent population trapping

Research on chip-scale atomic clocks （CSACs） based on coherent population trapping （CPT） is reviewed. The back- ground and the inspiration for the research are described, including the important schemes proposed to improve the CPT signal quality, the selection of atoms and buffer gases, and the development of micro-cell fabrication. With regard to the re- liability, stability, and service life of the CSACs, the research regarding the sensitivity of the CPT resonance to temperature and laser power changes is also reviewed, as well as the CPT resonance＇s collision and light of frequency shifts. The first generation CSACs have already been developed but its characters are still far from our expectations. Our conclusion is that miniaturization and power reduction are the most important aspects calling for further research.     

V型原子系统中相干布居俘获的相干相位调制研究

在延迟脉冲激光场作用下的V型原子系统中，实现了对相干布居俘获，电磁感应透明的相干相位调制，选择适当的能级其调制频率可以达到飞秒量级.利用数值和解析分析得到了延迟脉冲和叠加态粒子数布居的关系，以及粒子布居受光场相位调制的特点和变化规律.利用这种机理可以实现飞秒量级的量子开关作用. 关键词： 相干相位调制 相干布居俘获 电磁感应透明 量子开关     

High-contrast coherent population trapping resonances using four-wave mixing in 87Rb

We demonstrate very high-contrast coherent population trapping(1) (CPT) resonances by using four-wave mixing in (87)Rb atoms. In the experiment, we take advantage of the spectral overlap between F=2-->F(?) and F=3-->F(?) optical resonances on the D1 line of (87)Rb and (85)Rb atoms, respectively, to eliminate the DC-light background from the CPT resonance signal. We observe a CPT resonance with a contrast in the range of 90%, compared with a few percent achieved by alternative methods.     

Lineshape asymmetry for joint coherent population trapping and three-photon N resonances

We show that a characteristic two-photon lineshape asymmetry arises in coherent population trapping (CPT) and three-photon (N) resonances, because both resonances are simultaneously induced by modulation sidebands in the interrogating laser light. The N resonance is a three-photon resonance in which a two-photon Raman excitation is combined with a resonant optical pumping field. This joint CPT and N resonance can be the dominant source of lineshape distortion, with direct relevance for the operation of miniaturized atomic frequency standards. We present the results of both an experimental study and theoretical treatment of the asymmetry of the joint CPT and N resonance under conditions typical to the operation of an N resonance clock.     

Image transfer through coherent population trapping based on an atomic ensemble

We report on an experiment on transferring an image through coherent population trapping(CPT) effect in a hot rubidium vapor. We demonstrate experimentally that an image can be transferred from a control light to a probe light.Moreover, we describe the demonstration that the image can be transferred from a control light to two different probes showing a feasibility of transferring an image onto multiple probes. We believe that this effect definitely has important applications in image metrology, high dimensional information transfer in quantum information field, etc.     

平行线偏光激发CPT共振方案实验研究

目前的相干布居囚禁(CPT)原子钟和CPT磁场计中普遍采用圆偏振光方案 (σ⁺-σ⁺)实现CPT共振, 该方案对原子的利用率较低. 为了提高原子的利用率, 本文实验研究了通过平行线偏振相干双色光与⁸⁷Rb原子作用实现CPT共振的方案(lin//lin). 与σ⁺-σ⁺方案相比较, lin//lin方案消除了极化暗态, 获得更多工作原子. 在相同的实验条件下, 开展对比实验研究获得了信噪比为σ⁺-σ⁺方案2倍, 微分线型信号的中心斜率为σ⁺-σ⁺方案1.65倍的CPT共振信号. 研究结果表明该方案是实现低功耗原子钟、磁场计等设备的理想候选.     

Influence of the polarization of radiation on the shape of resonances of coherent population trapping on fine-structure levels

The dependence of the shape of resonances of coherent population trapping (CPT) on magnetic sublevels of thallium atoms, forming a generalized Λ-system with the magnetic sublevels of the fine-structure levels as lower ones, on the polarization of the radiation fields has been numerically studied. The cases of linear, elliptical, and circular polarizations have been considered. The shape and the number of CPT resonances for different polarizations have been compared. It has been concluded that the electromagnetically induced transparency can be changed by changing the polarization properties of the laser radiation. The possibility to decrease the number of observed resonances may be useful in high-resolution spectroscopy.     

The effect of phase noise of bichromatic radiation upon resonances of coherent population trapping

We consider the effect of the noise difference phase of a bichromatic field upon coherent population trapping resonances in the simplest three-level system in Λ configuration. The quasi-stationary solution of Bloch optical equations, which was found with some assumptions, shows that the presence of exciting short-correlated fluctuations of the phase of radiation reduces the contrast of the resonance line without affecting its spectral width. For the Gaussian phase noise the contrast suppression factor is χ = exp[?? _rms ² ], where ? _rms ² is phase dispersion. The experimental results obtained earlier by our group are analyzed.     

Determination of the structure of hyperfine sublevels of Rb in strong magnetic fields by means of the coherent population trapping technique

The splitting of hyperfine sublevels of the ⁸⁵Rb atom in strong magnetic fields has been studied by means of the coherent population trapping technique. Narrow resonances with a high signal-to-noise ratio have been detected in a 30-μm-thick spectroscopic cell. The magnetic field in the direction transverse to the laser beams has been created by permanent magnets and has reached 1600 G. Owing to the exclusive narrowness of the cell, the field in it is almost uniform. The break of the coupling between the electronic and nuclear moments, as well as the transition to the Paschen-Back regime in magnetic fields above 600 G, has been observed. The derivatives of the frequency shifts of the observed resonances and their asymptotic values in strong magnetic fields have been determined in terms of the magnetic field strength. The experimental results have been interpreted within a theoretical model based on the known constants of the hyperfine structure of the Rb atom.     

Optimization of stabilization regimes in atomic clocks,based on the effect of coherent population trapping

Using the atomic density matrix formalism, we investigate the dynamic regime of formation of the error signal for resonances of coherent population trapping excited in a three-level Λ-system by a bichromatic field. The optimal parameters of harmonic modulation used in the frequency locked loop are determined with allowance for low-frequency noise.     

Spectral narrowing of coherent population trapping resonance in laser-cooled and room-temperature atomic gas

We have investigated coherent population trapping (CPT) in laser-cooled as well as room-temperature (with and without buffer gas) rubidium atoms. The characteristic broad signal profile emerging from the two-photon Raman resonance for room-temperature atomic vapour is consistent with the theoretical calculation incorporating associated thermal averaging. The spectral width of the dark resonance obtained with cold atoms is found to be broadened, compared to room-temperature vapour cell, due to the feeble role played by thermal averaging, although the cold atomic sample significantly overcomes the limitation of the transit time broadening. An alternative way to improve transit time is to use a buffer gas, with which we demonstrate that the coherent population trapping signal width is reduced to < 540 Hz.     

Compact phase delay technique for increasing the amplitude of coherent population trapping resonances in open Lambda systems

We propose and demonstrate a novel technique for increasing the amplitude of coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in open Lambda systems. The technique requires no complex modifications to the conventional CPT setup and is compatible with standard microfabrication processes. The improvement in the CPT resonance amplitude as a function of intensity of the excitation light agrees well with the theory based on ideal open and closed Lambda systems.     

基于相干粒子数囚禁的电磁诱导光栅研究

基于相干布居囚禁,提出了一种新的电磁诱导光栅物理模型, 得到了该模型下介质极化率的解析表达式. 由于相干布居囚禁引入的原子相干性, 介质极化率会形成增益、无吸收高折射率点以及暗态三个区域. 根据该理论模型, 基于⁸⁷Rb的原子能级, 提出了一种新型衍射光栅实现方案, 并进行了分析与计算. 结果表明, 在无吸收高折射率点处, 这种光栅是一种纯相位光栅, 一级衍射强度可达到0.4; 在增益区域中, 发现这种光栅是相位光栅和幅度光栅组合而成的混合型光栅, 在其最大增益点, 一级衍射效率最大可达1.26, 二级衍射效率也可增加到0.31. 关键词： 相干粒子数囚禁 电磁诱导光栅 衍射效率     

High buffer gas pressure perturbation of coherent population trapping in sodium vapors

We report an experimental investigation of coherent population trapping in specially selected Zeeman levels of the sodium atom, performed under high buffer gas pressure in a polydimethylsiloxane coated cell at room temperature. The results show that coherent population trapping will not be completely destroyed when the buffer gas pressure reaches 1100 Torr for He and 1000, 800, and 500 Torr, for Ne, Ar and Kr, respectively. Buffer gases with heavier mass play a larger destructive role for the coherent population trapping. The line width of the dark resonance is reduced with buffer gas pressure. The behavior of the dark resonances on increasing buffer gas is discussed and possible applications are pointed out.     

Influence of the dipole-dipole interaction on velocity-selective coherent population trapping

We analyze the influence of the dipole-dipole interaction between ground and excited state atoms on atomic cooling by velocity-selective coherent population trapping. We consider two three-level atoms in the -configuration, interacting with two counterpropagating laser fields as well as with the electromagnetic vacuum modes. The elimination of these modes in the Born-Markov approximation results in spontaneous decay, which is essential in providing the momentum diffusion necessary for cooling, as well as a two-body dipole-dipole interaction between ground-and excited-state atoms. The corresponding two-body master equation is solved numerically by Monte-Carlo wave-function simulations. Our main result is that although a dark state survives the inclusion of dipole-dipole interactions, the presence of this interaction can significantly slow down the cooling process for sufficiently high atomic densities.Dedicated to H. Walther on the occasion of his 60th birthdayStrictly speaking, VSCPT is not a true cooling mechanism. The final atomic distribution cannot be characterized by a temperature, so that there is some ambiguity in characterizing the cooling efficiency. We return to this point in Sect. 3     

相干布居数拍频信号与基态超精细子能级相干性关系的研究

相干布居数拍频(coherent population beating, CPB)现象, 产生于一个Λ型三能级原子系统中, 当双色相干激光场的频率差和两基态能级频率间隔近失谐的时候, 原子在激发态能级上的布居数会产生一个弛豫振荡, 且振荡频率等于失谐量. 当将此现象运用于原子标准频率的提取时, CPB频标的稳定度与CPB信号的幅度及信噪比直接相关. 本文理论推导了描述CPB 现象的表达式, 数值模拟并实验研究了⁸⁷Rb基态超精细子能级的相干性对CPB信号的影响, 通过控制与基态子能级共振相干激光场的抽运时间来控制能级的相干程度, 观测不同相干程度对CPB信号质量的影响. 研究结果表明CPB信号振荡的幅度与基态子能级相干程度成正比关系. 要改善CPB信号信噪比、提高原子频标稳定度, 建立、提高和保持基态超精细能级的相干性是关键. 本文还讨论了CPB现象用于弱磁场测量及其他方面应用的可行性.     

Optical frequency standard based on coherent population trapping resonance

We propose a new optical frequency standard, based on a coherent population trapping resonance. Such standard is a self-mode locking laser, pulse repetition frequency of which is directly locked to microwave clock-transition—the transition between the hyperfine ground state components of alkali atom. The unique properties of this standard result in reduction of the light shift which is the main reason limiting frequency stability of this standard.     

High-performance coherent population trapping clock based on laser-cooled atoms

We present a coherent population trapping clock system based on laser-cooled $^{87}$Rb atoms. The clock consists of a frequency-stabilized CPT interrogation laser and a cooling laser as well as a compact magneto-optical trap, a high-performance microwave synthesizer, and a signal detection system. The resonance signal in the continuous wave regime exhibits an absorption contrast of $sim 50$%. In the Ramsey interrogation method, the linewidth of the central fringe is 31.25 Hz. The system achieves fractional frequency stability of ${2.4times }{{10}}^{{-11}}/sqrt tau $, which goes down to ${1.8times }{{10}}^{{-13}}$ at 20000 s. The results validate that cold atom interrogation can improve the long-term frequency stability of coherent population trapping clocks and holds the potential for developing compact/miniature cold atoms clocks.