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The Journal of Chemical Physics

Adiabatic population transfer with frequency-swept laser pulses

Joseph S. Melinger, Suketu R. Gandhi, Anand Hariharan, Debabrata Goswami, W. S. Warren

Published Oct 15, 1994• 185 citations

Abstract

We present detailed experimental and theoretical results on population transfer with frequency-swept picosecond laser pulses. Here, we demonstrate that intense frequency-swept pulses, when applied in the adiabatic limit, lead to both more efficient and more selective excitation than do unmodulated laser pulses. The experimental work is performed on quasi-two-level systems (pentacene/p-terphenyl crystal and Na vapor), quasi-three-level systems (Na vapor), and on more complex multilevel systems (I2 vapor). We discuss the different characteristics of adiabatic population transfer in both few-level, and multilevel cases, and, in particular, present computer calculations to explore the effects of molecular rotations in multilevel adiabatic population transfer.

DOI: 10.1063/1.468368

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We present detailed experimental and theoretical results on population transfer with frequency-swept picosecond laser pulses. Here, we demonstrate that intense frequency-swept pulses, when applied in the adiabatic limit, lead to both more efficient and more selective excitation than do unmodulated laser pulses. The experimental work is performed on quasi-two-level systems (pentacene/p-terphenyl crystal and Na vapor), quasi-three-level systems (Na vapor), and on more complex multilevel systems (I2 vapor). We discuss the different characteristics of adiabatic population transfer in both few-level, and multilevel cases, and, in particular, present computer calculations to explore the effects of molecular rotations in multilevel adiabatic population transfer.

Enhanced population transfer from the lowest to the highest level in the three-state ladder 5s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5d of the rubidium atom by frequency-swept ultrashort laser pulses is observed if the frequency sweep first makes the pulse resonant with the 5s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5p transition, and later with the 5p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}5d transition. With this ``intuitive'' scheme it is possible to achive complete population inversion via the intermediate level by two successive adiabatic passages. Complete inversion is also obtained by a ``counterintuitive'' direction of the frequency sweep, in which case population of the intermediate level during the pulse is strongly reduced.

Enhanced population transfer from the lowest to the highest level in the three-state ladder 5s->5p->5d of the rubidium atom by frequency swept ultra short laser pulses is observed if the frequency sweep first makes the pulse resonant with the 5s->5p transition, and later with the 5p->5d transition. With this intuitive scheme it is possible to achieve complete population inversion via the intermediate level by two successive adiabatic passages. Complete inversion is also obtained by a {open_quote}counterintuitive{close_quote} direction of the frequency-sweep, in which case population of the intermediate level during the pulse is strongly reduced. The atomic system can be seen as a model system for multistep vibrational excitation in an anharmonic molecular potential.

A numerical analysis is presented of several potential pulsed-laser applications of adiabatic population inversion in atoms or molecules. A simple numerical method is demonstrated for evaluating adiabatic processes in multilevel systems for both swept-frequency and resonant, time-delayed pulses. Adiabatic inversion with time-delayed pulses is generalized to systems with any number of levels. The effect of Doppler broadening on time-delayed adiabatic pumping of a three-level system is investigated.

Optical excitation of material transitions by adiabatic passage with frequency modulated (chirped) laser pulses is a useful spectroscopic tool.1,2 Here we demonstrate that picosecond frequency modulated laser pulses produce more efficient population transfer, and more selective excitation than equivalent (same spectral bandwidth) nearly transform limited laser pulses. We apply frequency modulated pulses to gas-phase and condensed phase systems. We also point out the "robustness", or insensitivity of the properties of the material excitation to the parameters of the laser field, that is inherent to the adiabatic process. The robustness obtainable by adiabatic passage will ultimately prove useful to laboratory applications of theoretical schemes which require frequency modulated ultrashort laser pulses to control chemical reaction dynamics.3