arXiv:1508.05584 · Physical Review A
Quantum dynamics of a two-state system induced by a chirped zero-area pulse
Han-gyeol Lee, Yunheung Song, Hyosub Kim, Hanlae Jo, Jaewook Ahn
Abstract
It is well known that area pulses make Rabi oscillation and chirped pulses in the adiabatic interaction regime induce complete population inversion of a two-state system. Here we show that chirped zero-area pulses could engineer an interplay between the adiabatic evolution and Rabi-like rotations. In a proof-of-principle experiment utilizing spectral chirping of femtosecond laser pulses with a resonant spectral hole, we demonstrate that the chirped zero-area pulses could induce, for example, complete population inversion and return of the cold rubidium atom two-state system. Experimental result agrees well with the theoretically considered overall dynamics, which could be approximately modeled to a Ramsey-like three-pulse interaction, where the $x$ and $z$ rotations are driven by the hole and the main pulse, respectively.