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Physical Review A

Transient behaviors of photon switching by quantum interference

Yong‐Fan Chen, Guan-Chi Pan, Ite A. Yu

Published Jun 2, 2004• 23 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We have experimentally studied the transient behaviors of photon switching by quantum interference in laser-cooled $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{atoms}$. The experimental results are consistent with theoretical predictions. We show that the rise time of the probe absorption cannot be less than $2∕\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}$ where $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}$ is the spontaneous decay rate of the excited states. In the low-intensity limit, the rise time is equal to $2\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}∕({\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{c}^{2}+{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{s}^{2})$ for the scheme used here, where ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{c}$ and ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{s}$ are the Rabi frequencies of the coupling and switching fields. A simple picture based on the dark and nondark states is provided to explain these transient behaviors.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.69.063801

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We have experimentally studied the transient behaviors of photon switching by quantum interference in laser-cooled 87Rbatoms^{87}\mathrm{Rb}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{atoms}87Rbatoms. The experimental results are consistent with theoretical predictions. We show that the rise time of the probe absorption cannot be less than 2∕\ensuremathΓ2∕\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}2∕\ensuremathΓ where \ensuremathΓ\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}\ensuremathΓ is the spontaneous decay rate of the excited states. In the low-intensity limit, the rise time is equal to 2\ensuremathΓ∕(\ensuremathΩc2+\ensuremathΩs2)2\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Gamma}}∕({\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{c}^{2}+{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{s}^{2})2\ensuremathΓ∕(\ensuremathΩc2​+\ensuremathΩs2​) for the scheme used here, where \ensuremathΩc{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{c}\ensuremathΩc​ and \ensuremathΩs{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}}_{s}\ensuremathΩs​ are the Rabi frequencies of the coupling and switching fields. A simple picture based on the dark and nondark states is provided to explain these transient behaviors.
Summary form only given. A coupling laser can create electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in an absorbing medium such that linear absorption of a weak probe laser at the line center is suppressed by quantum interference. The quantum interference may be modified by adding a pump laser coupled to a separate state, which leads to enhanced third-order nonlinearities in the atomic system. Large nonlinear probe absorption at the EIT center is controlled by the pump laser and may be used to realize absorptive photon switching as proposed by Harris and Yamamoto. We report an experimental study of enhanced third-order nonlinear absorption and absorptive photon switching in /sup 87/Rb atoms cooled and confined in a magneto-optical trap.
Summary form only given. Many studies have been made of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and probe gain under steady-state conditions. We have carried out experimental studies of transient effects in rubidium lambda systems in the non-adiabatic regime where the coupling field is rapidly switched on using a Pockels cell in a time that is short compared with transient time scales. Our preliminary work has confirmed predictions that the steady-state EIT is approached through damped oscillations characterised by the coupling field Rabi frequency /spl Omega//sub c/ and the spontaneous decay rate /spl Gamma/. We report results of our recent investigations into the effects of strong coupling fields conducted in several different lambda schemes in the rubidium 5S/sub 1/2/-5P/sub 3/2/ hyperfine levels in a magnetooptical trap. We also studied the effects of the initial conditions of population and optical coherence, probe absorption on uncoupled Zeeman transitions, and incoherent pumping.
We report on an experimental observation of quantum interference between two dressed states created by a coherent pumping laser in an electromagnetically induced transparency. In a \ensuremath{\Lambda}-type three-level atomic system in rubidium vapor, we reduce the Rabi frequency of the pumping laser in one arm down below the spontaneous decay rate of the common excited state and still observe a narrow dip with subnatural linewidth in the absorption curve of a probe beam in another arm. This clearly demonstrates that the absorption reduction at the low pumping intensity is mainly due to the interference between the two dressed states, not due to the ac--Stark-shift effect.
We report an experimental demonstration of low-light-level photon switching by quantum interference in laser-cooled 87Rb atoms. A resonant probe pulse with an energy per unit area of one photon per lambda2/2pi propagates through the optically thick atoms. Its energy transmittance is greater than 63%, or a loss of less than e(-1), because of the effect of electromagnetically induced transparency. In the presence of a switching pulse with an energy per unit area of 1.4 photons per lambda2/2pi, the energy transmittance of the same probe pulse becomes less than 37%, or e(-1). This substantial reduction of probe transmittance caused by switching photons may lead to potential applications in single-photon-level nonlinear optics and manipulation of quantum information.
We observed the transient oscillation in the spectra of electromagnetically induced transparency by rapidly sweeping the probe laser frequency. The spectra were measured with laser-cooled 87Rb atoms. We show that the amplitude of the transient oscillation decays exponentially at a rate of Ωc2/2Γ, where Ωc is the Rabi frequency of the coupling laser and Γ is the spontaneous decay rate of the excited state. Using the transient oscillation, we demonstrate a simple method to determine Ωc. This method is particularly useful with the low-intensity coupling laser.