Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review Letters

Carrier-Envelope Phase Effect on Atomic Excitation by Few-Cycle rf Pulses

Hebin Li, Vladimir A. Sautenkov, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, Michael M. Kash, Petr M. Anisimov, George R. Welch, Marlan O. Scully

Published Mar 8, 2010• 37 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present an experimental and theoretical study of the carrier-envelope phase effects on population transfer between two bound atomic states interacting with intense ultrashort pulses. Radio frequency pulses are used to transfer population among the ground state hyperfine levels in rubidium atoms. These pulses are only a few cycles in duration and have Rabi frequencies of the order of the carrier frequency. The phase difference between the carrier and the envelope of the pulses has a significant effect on the excitation of atomic coherence and population transfer. We provide a theoretical description of this phenomenon using density matrix equations. We discuss the implications and possible applications of our results.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.104.103001

Related papers

Experimental observation of carrier-envelope-phase effects by multicycle pulses

Pankaj K. Jha, Yuri V. Rostovtsev, Hebin Li +2 more

We present an experimental and theoretical study of carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) effects on the population transfer between two bound atomic states interacting with pulses consisting of many cycles. Using intense radio-frequency pulse with Rabi frequency of the order of the atomic transition frequency, we investigate the influence of the CEP on the control of phase-dependent multiphoton transitions between the Zeeman sublevels of the ground state of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$. Our scheme has no limitation on the duration of the pulses. Extending the CEP control to longer pulses creates interesting possibilities to generate pulses with accuracy that is better than the period of optical oscillations.

arXiv:1010.1043•Physical Review A•Mar 10, 2011•24 citations

Carrier Envelope Phase Effect of a Long Duration Pulse in the Low Frequency Region

Xi Zhao, Yang Yu-Jun, Xue‐Shen Liu +1 more

Using the characteristic of small energy difference between two high Rydberg states, we theoretically investigate the carrier envelope phase (CEP) effect in a bound-bound transition of an atom in a low-frequency long laser pulse with tens of optical cycles. Particularly, we first prepare a Rydberg state of a hydrogen-like atom by a laser field with the resonant frequency between this state and the ground state. Then by using a low-frequency long laser pulse interacting with this Rydberg atom, we calculate the population of another Rydberg state nearby this Rydberg state at the end of the laser pulse and find that the population changes dramatically with the CEP of the low-frequency pulse. This CEP effect is attributed to the interference between the positive-frequency and negative-frequency components in one-photon transition. These results may provide a method to measure the CEP value of a long laser pulse with low frequency.

Chinese Physics Letters•Apr 1, 2014•3 citations

Coherent population transfer in Rb atoms by frequency-chirped laser pulses

Gagik P. Djotyan, Jozsef S. Bakos, G. Demeter +5 more

We investigate the behavior of ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms in the field of a sequence of frequency-chirped short laser pulses. The analysis is based on a numerical solution of equations for the probability amplitudes of the hyperfine levels of the ${5S}_{1/2}{\ensuremath{-}5P}_{3/2}$ transition in the ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atom and the dressed-states analysis. We analyze different regimes of interaction, including relatively short laser pulses (when the width of the pulse envelope spectrum is of the order of or exceeds the frequency interval between the hyperfine levels resulting in effective mixing of them) and relatively long ones (when the ground hyperfine levels are resolved but the excited ones are not resolved). In the latter case dependence of the population transfer efficiency on the initial coherence of the ground states is analyzed. The case of long laser pulses when all working hyperfine levels are resolved is also discussed using numerical simulations and a dressed-states analysis. We show that in all regimes considered, the interaction of a frequency-chirped laser pulse with the multilevel ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ system is similar to the interaction with an effective two-level atom at sufficiently large peak intensities of the pulses. It allows us to perform efficient excitation of the multilevel atom by transferring populations of two hyperfine ground states to the excited ones and back to the ground states using a pair of frequency-chirped laser pulses. We propose to utilize this scheme of population transfer for the coherent manipulation of a beam of ${}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms using sequences of counterpropagating frequency-chirped short laser pulses.

Physical Review A•Nov 19, 2003•23 citations

Carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effects of high-order harmonic generation in a strongly driven two-level atom

Pei Huang, Xiao-Tao Xie, Xin-You Lü +2 more

Carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effects of high-harmonic generation for two-level atoms interacting with Gaussian shape few-cycle pulses (with $\ensuremath{\phi}=0$ and $\ensuremath{\phi}=\ensuremath{\pi}/2$) have been investigated theoretically by using a time-frequency analysis. The differences in energies and populations of the two adiabatic states and the harmonic spectra in the cutoff region are illustrated. We find that, by tuning the carrier-envelope phase, the high-harmonic generation in the cutoff region can be controlled. Our results also show that the model of two-level atoms driven by few-cycle pulses can be used to study carrier-envelope phase effects.

Physical Review A•Apr 6, 2009•38 citations

Ultrafast population transfer in a Λ-configuration level system driven by few-cycle laser pulses

Wen-Jing Zhang, Xiao-Tao Xie, Luling Jin +1 more

The feasibility of population transfer from a populated level via an intermediate state to the target level driven by few-cycle pulses is theoretically discussed. The processes of on- or far-resonance stimulated Raman scattering with sequential or simultaneous ultrashort pulses are investigated respectively. We find that the ultrashort pulses with about two optical cycles can be used to realize the population operation. This suggests that the population transfer can be completed in the femtosecond time scale. At the same time, our simulation shows that the signal of the carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effect can be enlarged due to quantum interference in some conditions. Our theoretic study may promote the research on the coherent control via ultrashort pulses in the related fields.

Chinese Physics B•Nov 1, 2013•1 citation

Carrier-envelope phase effects for a dipolar molecule interacting with two-color pump-probe laser pulses

Taiwang Cheng, Alex Brown

The interaction of a two-level dipolar molecule with two laser pulses, where one laser's frequency is tuned to the energy level separation (pump laser) while the second laser's frequency is extremely small (probe laser), is investigated. A dipolar molecule is one with a nonzero difference between the permanent dipole moments of the molecular states. As shown previously [A. Brown, Phys. Rev. A 66, 053404 (2002)], the final population transfer between the two levels exhibits a dependence on the carrier-envelope phase of the probe laser. Based on the rotating-wave approximation (RWA), an effective Hamiltonian is derived to account for the basic characteristics of the carrier-envelope phase dependence effect. By analysis of the effective Hamiltonian, scaling properties of the system are found with regard to field strengths, pulse durations, and frequencies. According to these scaling properties, the final-state population transfer can be controlled by varying the carrier-envelope phase of the probe laser field using lasers with weak field strengths (low intensities) and relatively long pulse durations. In order to examine the possible roles of background states, the investigation is extended to a three-level model. It is demonstrated that the carrier-envelope phase effect still persists in a well-defined manner even when neighboring energy levels are present. These results illustrate the potential of utilizing excitation in dipolar molecules as a means of measuring the carrier-envelope phase of a laser pulse or if one can manipulate the carrier envelope phase, as a method of controlling population transfer in dipolar molecules. The results also suggest that the carrier-envelope phases must be taken into account properly when performing calculations involving pump-probe excitation schemes with laser frequencies which differ widely in magnitude.

Physical Review A•Dec 17, 2004•19 citations
We present an experimental and theoretical study of the carrier-envelope phase effects on population transfer between two bound atomic states interacting with intense ultrashort pulses. Radio frequency pulses are used to transfer population among the ground state hyperfine levels in rubidium atoms. These pulses are only a few cycles in duration and have Rabi frequencies of the order of the carrier frequency. The phase difference between the carrier and the envelope of the pulses has a significant effect on the excitation of atomic coherence and population transfer. We provide a theoretical description of this phenomenon using density matrix equations. We discuss the implications and possible applications of our results.
We present an experimental and theoretical study of carrier-envelope-phase (CEP) effects on the population transfer between two bound atomic states interacting with pulses consisting of many cycles. Using intense radio-frequency pulse with Rabi frequency of the order of the atomic transition frequency, we investigate the influence of the CEP on the control of phase-dependent multiphoton transitions between the Zeeman sublevels of the ground state of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb. Our scheme has no limitation on the duration of the pulses. Extending the CEP control to longer pulses creates interesting possibilities to generate pulses with accuracy that is better than the period of optical oscillations.
Using the characteristic of small energy difference between two high Rydberg states, we theoretically investigate the carrier envelope phase (CEP) effect in a bound-bound transition of an atom in a low-frequency long laser pulse with tens of optical cycles. Particularly, we first prepare a Rydberg state of a hydrogen-like atom by a laser field with the resonant frequency between this state and the ground state. Then by using a low-frequency long laser pulse interacting with this Rydberg atom, we calculate the population of another Rydberg state nearby this Rydberg state at the end of the laser pulse and find that the population changes dramatically with the CEP of the low-frequency pulse. This CEP effect is attributed to the interference between the positive-frequency and negative-frequency components in one-photon transition. These results may provide a method to measure the CEP value of a long laser pulse with low frequency.
We investigate the behavior of 85Rb{}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}85Rb atoms in the field of a sequence of frequency-chirped short laser pulses. The analysis is based on a numerical solution of equations for the probability amplitudes of the hyperfine levels of the ${5S}_{1/2}{\ensuremath{-}5P}_{3/2}$ transition in the 85Rb{}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}85Rb atom and the dressed-states analysis. We analyze different regimes of interaction, including relatively short laser pulses (when the width of the pulse envelope spectrum is of the order of or exceeds the frequency interval between the hyperfine levels resulting in effective mixing of them) and relatively long ones (when the ground hyperfine levels are resolved but the excited ones are not resolved). In the latter case dependence of the population transfer efficiency on the initial coherence of the ground states is analyzed. The case of long laser pulses when all working hyperfine levels are resolved is also discussed using numerical simulations and a dressed-states analysis. We show that in all regimes considered, the interaction of a frequency-chirped laser pulse with the multilevel 85Rb{}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}85Rb system is similar to the interaction with an effective two-level atom at sufficiently large peak intensities of the pulses. It allows us to perform efficient excitation of the multilevel atom by transferring populations of two hyperfine ground states to the excited ones and back to the ground states using a pair of frequency-chirped laser pulses. We propose to utilize this scheme of population transfer for the coherent manipulation of a beam of 85Rb{}^{85}\mathrm{Rb}85Rb atoms using sequences of counterpropagating frequency-chirped short laser pulses.
Carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effects of high-harmonic generation for two-level atoms interacting with Gaussian shape few-cycle pulses (with $\ensuremath{\phi}=0$ and $\ensuremath{\phi}=\ensuremath{\pi}/2$) have been investigated theoretically by using a time-frequency analysis. The differences in energies and populations of the two adiabatic states and the harmonic spectra in the cutoff region are illustrated. We find that, by tuning the carrier-envelope phase, the high-harmonic generation in the cutoff region can be controlled. Our results also show that the model of two-level atoms driven by few-cycle pulses can be used to study carrier-envelope phase effects.
The feasibility of population transfer from a populated level via an intermediate state to the target level driven by few-cycle pulses is theoretically discussed. The processes of on- or far-resonance stimulated Raman scattering with sequential or simultaneous ultrashort pulses are investigated respectively. We find that the ultrashort pulses with about two optical cycles can be used to realize the population operation. This suggests that the population transfer can be completed in the femtosecond time scale. At the same time, our simulation shows that the signal of the carrier-envelope-phase-dependent effect can be enlarged due to quantum interference in some conditions. Our theoretic study may promote the research on the coherent control via ultrashort pulses in the related fields.
The interaction of a two-level dipolar molecule with two laser pulses, where one laser's frequency is tuned to the energy level separation (pump laser) while the second laser's frequency is extremely small (probe laser), is investigated. A dipolar molecule is one with a nonzero difference between the permanent dipole moments of the molecular states. As shown previously [A. Brown, Phys. Rev. A 66, 053404 (2002)], the final population transfer between the two levels exhibits a dependence on the carrier-envelope phase of the probe laser. Based on the rotating-wave approximation (RWA), an effective Hamiltonian is derived to account for the basic characteristics of the carrier-envelope phase dependence effect. By analysis of the effective Hamiltonian, scaling properties of the system are found with regard to field strengths, pulse durations, and frequencies. According to these scaling properties, the final-state population transfer can be controlled by varying the carrier-envelope phase of the probe laser field using lasers with weak field strengths (low intensities) and relatively long pulse durations. In order to examine the possible roles of background states, the investigation is extended to a three-level model. It is demonstrated that the carrier-envelope phase effect still persists in a well-defined manner even when neighboring energy levels are present. These results illustrate the potential of utilizing excitation in dipolar molecules as a means of measuring the carrier-envelope phase of a laser pulse or if one can manipulate the carrier envelope phase, as a method of controlling population transfer in dipolar molecules. The results also suggest that the carrier-envelope phases must be taken into account properly when performing calculations involving pump-probe excitation schemes with laser frequencies which differ widely in magnitude.