We investigate electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes splitting in Rydberg rubidium atoms for a six-level excitation scheme. In this six-level system, one radio-frequency field simultaneously couples to two high-laying Rydberg states and results in interesting atomic spectra observed in the EIT lines. We present experimental results for several excitation parameters. We also present two theoretical models for this atomic system, where these two models capture different aspects of the observed spectra. One is a six-level model used to predict dominant spectral features and the other a more complex eight-level model used to predict the full characteristics of this system. Both models shows very good agreement with the experimental data.
We investigate electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes splitting in Rydberg rubidium atoms for a six-level excitation scheme. In this six-level system, one radio-frequency field simultaneously couples to two high-laying Rydberg states and results in interesting atomic spectra observed in the EIT lines. We present experimental results for several excitation parameters. We also present two theoretical models for this atomic system, where these two models capture different aspects of the observed spectra. One is a six-level model used to predict dominant spectral features and the other a more complex eight-level model used to predict the full characteristics of this system. Both models shows very good agreement with the experimental data.
Abstract We utilize an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) of a three-level cascade system involving Rydberg state in a room-temperature cell, formed with a cesium 6S1/2–6P3/2–66S1/2 scheme, to investigate the Autler–Townes (AT) splitting resulting from a 15.21-GHz radio-frequency (RF) field that couples the | 66 S 1 / 2 〉 → | 65 P 1 / 2 〉 Rydberg transition. The radio-frequency electric field induced AT splitting, γ AT, is defined as the peak-to-peak distance of an EIT-AT spectrum. The dependence of AT splitting γ AT on the probe and coupling Rabi frequency, Ωp and Ωc, is investigated. It is found that the EIT-AT splitting strongly depends on the EIT linewidth that is related to the probe and coupling Rabi frequency in a weak RF-field regime. Using a narrow linewidth EIT spectrum would decrease the uncertainty of the RF field measurements. This work provides new experimental evidence for the theoretical framework in [J. Appl. Phys. 121, 233106 (2017)].
Abstract We report the observation and quantitative analysis of Autler–Townes splitting in rubidium atoms excited to Rydberg states using a four-level ladder-type electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) scheme and resonant radio-frequency (RF) fields. By fitting the EIT spectra to Voigt profiles and calibrating the frequency axis with a semi-empirical Rydberg–Ritz model, we extracted transition dipole matrix elements (TDMEs) for the n D 5 / 2 → ( n + 1 ) P 3 / 2 transitions across five principal quantum numbers: n = 53, 55, 68, 75, and 85. Comparison with theoretical predictions revealed systematic deviations in the Rabi frequencies, attributed to RF delivery inefficiencies and standing-wave enhancement within the vapor cell. To address these effects, we developed two complementary approaches: an empirical quartic fit to measured efficiencies and a physics-based model, capturing both transverse radial variation and dominant longitudinal interference along the cell axis. These models explain the observed scaling behavior, predict an efficiency peak near n ≈ 60, and reduce TDME discrepancies to less than 5% at the validation point. Our analysis highlights the influence of spatial field distribution and cell geometry on precision atom–field interaction measurements and establishes a robust experimental framework for TDME extraction in ladder-type EIT systems.
Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler–Townes splitting (ATS) are two similar yet distinct phenomena that modify the transmission of a weak probe field through an absorption medium in the presence of a coupling field, featured in a variety of three-level atomic systems. In many applications it is important to distinguish EIT from ATS splitting. We present EIT and ATS spectra in a three-level cascade system, involving cold cesium atoms in the Rydberg state. The EIT linewidth, γ EIT , defined as the full width at half maximum of the transparency window, and the ATS splitting, γ ATS , defined as the peak-to-peak distance between AT absorption peaks, are used to delineate the EIT and ATS regimes and to characterize the transition between the regimes. In the cold-atom medium, in the weak-coupler (EIT) regime γ EIT ≈ A + B ( + , where Ω c and Ω p are the coupler and probe Rabi frequencies, Γ eg is the spontaneous decay rate of the intermediate 6P 3/2 level, and parameters A and B that depend on the laser linewidth. We explore the transition into the strong-coupler (ATS) regime, which is characterized by the relation γ ATS ≈ Ω c . The experiments are in agreement with numerical solutions of the Master equation. Our analysis accounts for non-ideal conditions that exist in typical realizations of Rydberg-EIT, including laser-frequency jitter, Doppler mismatch of the utilized two-color Rydberg EIT system, and strong probe fields. The obtained criteria to distinguish cold-atom EIT from ATS are readily accessible and applicable in practical implementations.
Magnetic-field-induced splitting of Rydberg Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes (AT) spectra in 87Rb vapor cell
We theoretically and experimentally investigate the Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes (AT) splitting of 87Rb vapor under the combined influence of a magnetic field and a microwave field. In the presence of static magnetic field, the effect of the microwave field leads to the dressing and splitting of each mF state, resulting in multiple spectral peaks in the EIT-AT spectrum. A simplified analytical formula was developed to explain the EIT-AT spectrum in a static magnetic field, and the calculations are in excellent agreement with experimental results.We further studied the enhancement of the Rydberg atom microwave electric field sensor performance by making use of the splitting interval between the two maximum absolute mF states under static magnetic field. The traceable measurement limit of weak electric field by EIT-AT splitting method was extended by an order of magnitude, which is promising for precise microwave electric field measurement.
Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and Autler-Townes splitting (ATS) are two similar quantum coherent phenomena but have different mechanisms and applications. Akaike information criteria (AIC), an objective method to discriminate EIT and ATS from an experimental viewpoint, has been employed in a variety of systems. Here we use AIC method to quantitively discriminate a series of spectra of cold atoms in a Rydberg-involved upper-driving ladder-type. The derived weights of EIT and ATS reflect that our spectra change from EIT-ATS intermediate region to ATS-dominated region along Rabi frequency of coupling field increases. We find that there are two factors affecting EIT-ATS weights in a Rydberg-involved three-level system: dephasing rate, induced by the interactions among Rydberg atoms, makes the EIT-ATS crossover move to the direction of low Rabi frequency of coupling field and the experimental noise makes the difference between EIT and ATS weights reduce at elsewhere. Our investigation could provide a meaningful reference for the observations and applications of Rydberg-involved quantum coherent spectroscopy.
To isolate the Autler-Townes splitting induced by a single selected THz transition in a Cs Rydberg atom, a Zeeman-resolved EIT (electromagnetically induced transparency) signal was obtained in a high magnetic field. The electronic state was controlled by the polarizations of two lasers exciting the Cs atoms and the chosen magnetic quantization axis. Applying a THz wave with controlled polarization then enabled an observation of the Autler-Townes splitting induced by its coupling to a single dipole transition.