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Optics Letters

Effects of magnetic fields on four-wave mixing processes in atomic vapors

Nicholas P. Economou, Richard R. Freeman, Gary C. Bjorklund

Published Dec 1, 1978• 12 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We have observed the effects of magnetic fields on four-wave mixing processes in atomic vapors. We have studied coherent vacuum-ultraviolet generation in Sr vapor via the process omega(1) + omega(2) + omega(3) ? omega(4) in fields of up to 50 kG. Magnetic tuning of the resonances of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility X((3)) was used to modify the dependence of the sum-frequency output power on the generated wavelength.

DOI
10.1364/ol.3.000209

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Applied Physics Letters•Sep 1, 1977•32 citations
We have observed the effects of magnetic fields on four-wave mixing processes in atomic vapors. We have studied coherent vacuum-ultraviolet generation in Sr vapor via the process omega(1) + omega(2) + omega(3) ? omega(4) in fields of up to 50 kG. Magnetic tuning of the resonances of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility X((3)) was used to modify the dependence of the sum-frequency output power on the generated wavelength.
Application of a steady magnetic field allows sum-frequency radiation generated via dipole-forbidden mixing of two-colour fields in an atomic medium to be emitted in the (otherwise forbidden) forward direction. As a result of resonance tuning at low-field strength (not exceeding 0.1 T) a fourth-order magnetic-dipole-induced amplitude for the sum-frequency process can be made comparable to the third-order field-free amplitude. We show that the interference between different terms of the field-dependent amplitude may cause the circular dichroism of the forward-scattering cross section for one of the two incident waves or the sum-frequency wave when the other two waves are linearly polarized. The dichroism effect is due to the dissipation processes determined by the resonant level width Γ and depends strongly both on Γ and the resonance detuning Δ. The effect may be used to control the frequency conversion process or to make possible a frequency mixing laser spectroscopy of excited atomic levels.
An experimental investigation was made of resonant nonlinear four-wave frequency mixing processes involving cw laser radiation in sodium vapor. It was found that, in spite of an increase in absorption, the use of resonant atomic nonlinearities can substantially improve the frequency conversion efficiency in the cw regime. The results of the measurements were compared with the theoretical conclusions. Ultraviolet radiation was generated at the sum frequency ( λ s = 268 nm) with the proportionality factor C = W s / W 1 W 2 W 3 ≈2W −2
We report on an ac-Stark-effect-enhanced wave-mixing experiment in I2{\mathrm{I}}_{2}I2​ vapor in which an output uv signal at frequency 2${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1}$+${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{2}$ is maximized when the input frequencies ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{1}$ and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{2}$ are both detuned in the same direction from the resonance frequencies of the free molecule. A theory based on a configuration interaction between the ``dressed molecular levels'' is presented to explain the strong enhancement of the uv signal under these conditions. The data presented demonstrate that tunable coherent radiation at ultraviolet and vacuum-ultraviolet frequencies can be generated by the wave-mixing process we describe.
Two tunable dye lasers have been used to generate coherent radiation at a tunable sum frequency in the vacuum-ultraviolet spectral region. Spectral ranges of \ensuremath{\sim}3500 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ around 1895 \AA{} and \ensuremath{\sim}1200 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ around 1798 \AA{} have been covered. These ranges may easily be extended. Large (\ensuremath{\sim}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}104{10}^{4}104) enhancements of $2{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{1}+{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{2}$ sum mixing are seen when $2{\ensuremath{\nu}}_{1}$ is tuned to a double-quantum allowed transition from the ground state in Sr vapor.