A theoretical investigation is made of the coherent optical transient phenomena produced by the phase switching method in degenerate gaseous systems in the case of arbitrary detuning. The effect of the light wave polarisation on optical nutation and free induction is studied. Echo manifestations in the form of edge echoes, nutation echoes and induction echoes that accompany light wave phase switching are established to differ from the previously studied ones. Spectroscopic applications of the results obtained are discussed.A theoretical investigation is made of the coherent optical transient phenomena produced by the phase switching method in degenerate gaseous systems in the case of arbitrary detuning. The effect of the light wave polarisation on optical nutation and free induction is studied. Echo manifestations in the form of edge echoes, nutation echoes and induction echoes that accompany light wave phase switching are established to differ from the previously studied ones. Spectroscopic applications of the results obtained are discussed.

Journal of Physics B Atomic and Molecular PhysicsNov 28, 19825 citations

Optical rotary echoes

N. C. Wong, Satoru S. Kano, Richard G. Brewer

The first observation of optical rotary echoes, the optical analog of rotary spin echoes, is reported. Rotary echoes are produced in a quantum-mechanical two-level system which is driven resonantly (nutation effect) by a coherent field that suffers a sudden phase retardation. The initial nutation transient dephases, because of an inhomogeneity in either the driving field or the transition frequency of the sample, and then rephases to form an echo following the phase-shifting pulse. Hence, optical rotary and photon echoes are similar processes---the former being an interference in nutation and the latter an interference in free precession. Perturbative solutions of the Bloch equations are derived for the case where inhomogeneous dephasing arises from Doppler broadening and the Rabi frequency exceeds the homogeneous damping rate. Observations of the optical rotary echo in ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}$ vapor are facilitated by the technique of laser frequency switching, which generates precise phase shifts in the optical field. The measurements corroborate detailed theoretical predictions.The first observation of optical rotary echoes, the optical analog of rotary spin echoes, is reported. Rotary echoes are produced in a quantum-mechanical two-level system which is driven resonantly (nutation effect) by a coherent field that suffers a sudden phase retardation. The initial nutation transient dephases, because of an inhomogeneity in either the driving field or the transition frequency of the sample, and then rephases to form an echo following the phase-shifting pulse. Hence, optical rotary and photon echoes are similar processes---the former being an interference in nutation and the latter an interference in free precession. Perturbative solutions of the Bloch equations are derived for the case where inhomogeneous dephasing arises from Doppler broadening and the Rabi frequency exceeds the homogeneous damping rate. Observations of the optical rotary echo in ${\mathrm{I}}_{2}$ vapor are facilitated by the technique of laser frequency switching, which generates precise phase shifts in the optical field. The measurements corroborate detailed theoretical predictions.

Physical Review AJan 1, 198039 citations

{\mathrm{I}}_{2}

vapor are facilitated by the technique of laser frequency switching, which generates precise phase shifts in the optical field. The measurements corroborate detailed theoretical predictions.