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arXiv:0804.4151 · Physical Review A

Observation of narrow Autler-Townes components in the resonant response of a dense atomic gas

Vladimir A. Sautenkov, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, E. R. Eliel

Published Jul 1, 2008• 23 citations
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Abstract

We have experimentally studied the reflection of a weak probe beam from a dense atomic potassium vapor in the presence of a strong laser field tuned to the atomic resonance transition. We have observed an Autler-Townes doublet under hitherto unexplored conditions, namely, that the Rabi frequency induced by the strong laser field is much smaller than the self-broadened width of the resonance transition of the unexcited vapor. We attribute our observation to a reduction of the atomic decoherence by the strong drive field. We present a theoretical model of nonlinear processes in a dense atomic gas to explain the observed results.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.78.013802

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We have experimentally studied the reflection of a weak probe beam from a dense atomic potassium vapor in the presence of a strong laser field tuned to the atomic resonance transition. We have observed an Autler-Townes doublet under hitherto unexplored conditions, namely, that the Rabi frequency induced by the strong laser field is much smaller than the self-broadened width of the resonance transition of the unexcited vapor. We attribute our observation to a reduction of the atomic decoherence by the strong drive field. We present a theoretical model of nonlinear processes in a dense atomic gas to explain the observed results.
We have investigated the nonlinear selective reflection of a laser beam (λ = 780 nm) from a high density rubidium vapor. The laser frequency was tuned over atomic transitions and coherent optical excitation of the atomic vapor was realized. The observed narrowing of reflection spectral profile is associated with a competition of two nonlinear processes: optical field induced coherent broadening (Rabi broadening) and optical saturation induced decreasing of dipole–dipole broadening of atomic transitions. For more complete understanding the spectral narrowing we suggest to perform a set of new experiments.
We present the results of an experimental and theoretical study of the gain experienced by a weak probe beam propagating through a sodium vapor in the presence of an intense pump field that is nearly resonant with the 3s→3p atomic transition. This interaction provides a means by which the outputs of two lasers can be combined coherently. The probe transmission spectrum is comprised of three distinct features, two of which result in amplification of the probe wave. The origin of these features can be traced to the modification of the atomic level structure by the ac Stark effect. The experimentally measured spectra are in good agreement with the predictions of a theoretical model based on the solution of the density-matrix equations of motion for a two-level atom and including the effects of Doppler broadening. The dependence of the induced gain on the pressure of a helium buffer gas has been measured and is in good agreement with the predictions of theory. The maximum gain observed in these experiments occurs at one of the Rabi sidebands and leads to a 38-fold increase in the intensity of the probe wave.
We study the Autler-Townes absorption spectrum of the upper and intermediate levels of a three-level cascade atom in which the intermediate and ground levels are strongly driven by a laser field as well as weakly coupled by a cavity mode [Phys. Rev. 100, 703 (1955)]. Surprisingly, one of the Autler-Townes peaks may be greatly suppressed or enhanced by tuning the cavity resonant frequency. The larger the Rabi frequency, the more pronounced the cavity-induced suppression or enhancement. The Autler-Townes spectrum carries full information on the cavity-induced modification of the strongly driven levels. A physical interpretation is presented in the dressed-state basis.
A nonlinear selective reflection from the boundary between a transparent dielectric and dense Rb vapor has been investigated, where the dipole broadening of the 5 S 1/2 –5 P 3/2 working transition is significantly larger than the contribution of the Doppler width. A tunable probe laser and a pump laser with a fixed frequency have been used in the experiment. At a high intensity of pump radiation, a dip has appeared in the reflection spectrum, which splits the spectrum into two symmetric resonances. The splitting value is twice the Rabi frequency. The observation of a narrow structure corresponding to the dressed atomic states opens up additional possibilities for the study of many-particle interactions.
The damped and coherently-driven JaynesndashndashndashCummings model
We investigate the influence of a single-mode cavity on the Autler–Townes doublet that arises when a three-level atom is strongly driven by a laser field tuned to one of the atomic transitions and probed by a tunable, weak field coupled to the other transition. We assume that the cavity mode is coupled to the driven transition and the cavity and laser frequencies are equal to the atomic transition frequency. We find that the Autler–Townes spectrum can have one, two or three peaks depending on the relative magnitudes of the Rabi frequencies of the cavity and driving fields. We show that, in order to understand the three-peaked spectrum, it is necessary to go beyond the secular approximation, leading to interesting quantum interference effects. We find that the positions and relative intensities of the three spectral components are affected strongly by the atom–cavity coupling strength g and the cavity damping κ. For an increasing g and/or decreasing κ the triplet evolves into a single peak. This results in 'undressing' of the system such that the atom collapses into its ground state. We interpret the spectral features in terms of the semiclassical dressed-atom model, and also provide complementary views of the cavity effects in terms of quantum Langevin equations and the fully quantized, 'double-dressing' model.