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 A

Resonance fluorescence quenching and spectral line narrowing via quantum interference in a four-level atom driven by two coherent fields

Fuli Li, Shi-Yao Zhu

Published Mar 1, 1999• 81 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The resonance fluorescence from a four-level atom driven by two coherent fields is studied. If the dipole moments between the two upper levels and each of the two lower levels are parallel, the spontaneous emission paths from the upper levels to the lower levels will have strongly or even completely destructive quantum interference. We show that this quantum interference will result in a complete inhibition of the fluorescence when one of the driving fields is tuned at the middle point of the upper levels. The quantum interference will lead to the dependence of atomic populations at steady state on the initial condition, when both of the driving fields are tuned to the middle point of the upper levels. When the dipole moments are close to but not exactly parallel, or none of the driving fields is tuned at the middle point of the upper levels and there is a small difference between detunings of the two driving fields to the uppermost level, ultranarrow lines at the spectral center appear because of the destructive quantum interference.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.59.2330

Related papers

Controlling linewidth of resonance fluorescence in the V-configuration of a four-level atom via quantum interference

Fuli Li, Shi‐Yao Zhu, Ma Ai-Qun

The interaction of a four-level atom consisting of one excited state, two upper levels and one ground state is considered. We use one field to drive the transition between the excited state and the ground state, and simultaneously apply another field to couple two transitions from the upper-level doublet to the ground state. We investigate how to control the central linewidth of resonance fluorescence spectrum of the driven transition via quantum interference between two transitions from the upper doublet to the ground state of the atom. In the case of orthogonal dipole moments for the upper doublet and the ground state the widths of the central line and the sidebands of the resonance fluorescence spectrum are totally controlled by the spontaneous emission rate of the upper doublet when the applying field is sufficiently strong. When the dipole moments are parallel, the central linewidth can be much narrower than the linewidths of spontaneous emission of the excited state and of the upper doublet due to the quantum interference. The smaller the upper doublet splitting, the narrower the central linewidth. We also notice that when the upper levels are degenerate the resonance fluorescence spectrum may depend on the initial condition because of the quantum interference.

Journal of Modern Optics•Mar 1, 2001•4 citations

Quantum interference in resonance fluorescence for a driven V atom

Peng Zhou, S. Swain

We investigate the effect of quantum interference between the two transition pathways from the excited doublet to the ground level of a driven V atom on the spectral features of the resonance fluorescence emission. The ultranarrow spectral line at line center, which arises due to quantum interference, occurs over a wide range of parameters. The smaller the ratio of the excited doublet splitting to the effective Rabi frequency, the more pronounced the spectral line narrowing. However, the fluorescence emission is completely quenched when the atomic dipole moments are exactly parallel and the driving field is tuned to the average frequency of the atomic transitions. The narrow line is due to the slow decay rate of one dressed state, while the quenching arises from dressed-state trapping. A finite laser linewidth destroys the spectral narrowing features and the fluorescence quenching.

Physical Review A•Oct 1, 1997•153 citations

Quantum-mechanical interference effects in the spontaneous-emission spectrum of a driven atom

Shi-Yao Zhu, Lorenzo M. Narducci, Marlan O. Scully

We study the influence of quantum interference on the spontaneous emission from an excited two-level atom when either the atomic upper or lower level is coupled by a coherent field to a third, usually higher-lying, state. In the case of the upper level coupling, destructive quantum interference between two competing decay amplitudes produces a dark line in the emission spectrum, a phenomenon that should not be confused with the well known population trapping, and a narrowing of one of the two side lobes that make up the spectral profile. Quantum interference is absent, instead, in the case of the lower level coupling, and the spectrum modified by the external driving field is just the incoherent superposition of two Lorentzian lines. We suggest a physical interpretation of these results. In addition, we compare the analytic predictions of the simplest nontrivial versions of these models with more realistic but nonanalytic descriptions and show, numerically, that the interference effects persist in the upper level case even when additional complications are taken into account.

Physical Review A•Dec 1, 1995•164 citations

Control of spontaneous emission from a coherently driven four-level atom

Jin‐Hui Wu, Aijun Li, Yue Ding +2 more

We study the spontaneous-emission properties of a coherently driven four-level atom, and show a few interesting phenomena such as fluorescence quenching, spectral-line narrowing, spectral-line enhancement, and spectral-line elimination. These phenomena can be observed in experiment since the rigorous condition of near-degenerate levels with nonorthogonal dipole moments is not required here. Qualitatively, these phenomena can be attributed to the quantum interference between competitive spontaneous-decay channels in the bare-state picture or the spontaneously generated coherence between two close-lying levels in the dressed-state picture.

Physical Review A•Aug 4, 2005•113 citations

Spectral Line Elimination and Spontaneous Emission Cancellation via Quantum Interference

Shi-Yao Zhu, Marlan O. Scully

Quantum interference in spontaneous emission from a four-level atom is investigated. The atom has two upper levels coupled by the same vacuum modes to a common lower level and is driven by a coherent field to an auxiliary level. Interference can lead to the elimination of a spectral line in the spontaneous emission spectrum and spontaneous emission cancellation in steady state.

Physical Review Letters•Jan 15, 1996•552 citations

Quantum interference effects in spontaneous atomic emission: Dependence of the resonance fluorescence spectrum on the phase of the driving field

M. A. G. Martinez, Peter R. Herczfeld, Charles Samuels +2 more

We discuss quantum interference effects in the resonance fluorescence spectrum of a \ensuremath{\Lambda} three-level atom when the lower-level doublet is driven by a coherent field. The interfering pathways that lead to the same final state involve both spontaneous decays and stimulated transitions, and differ from one another by an odd number of stimulated processes induced by the driving field. As a consequence, the interference structures depend upon the phase of the coherent field, an effect that is absent in other resonance fluorescence phenomena. The phase dependence of the quantum interference contribution is especially significant when the level splitting of the driven doublet is comparable to the spontaneous decay rates of the competing optical paths.

Physical Review A•Jun 1, 1997•122 citations
The resonance fluorescence from a four-level atom driven by two coherent fields is studied. If the dipole moments between the two upper levels and each of the two lower levels are parallel, the spontaneous emission paths from the upper levels to the lower levels will have strongly or even completely destructive quantum interference. We show that this quantum interference will result in a complete inhibition of the fluorescence when one of the driving fields is tuned at the middle point of the upper levels. The quantum interference will lead to the dependence of atomic populations at steady state on the initial condition, when both of the driving fields are tuned to the middle point of the upper levels. When the dipole moments are close to but not exactly parallel, or none of the driving fields is tuned at the middle point of the upper levels and there is a small difference between detunings of the two driving fields to the uppermost level, ultranarrow lines at the spectral center appear because of the destructive quantum interference.
The interaction of a four-level atom consisting of one excited state, two upper levels and one ground state is considered. We use one field to drive the transition between the excited state and the ground state, and simultaneously apply another field to couple two transitions from the upper-level doublet to the ground state. We investigate how to control the central linewidth of resonance fluorescence spectrum of the driven transition via quantum interference between two transitions from the upper doublet to the ground state of the atom. In the case of orthogonal dipole moments for the upper doublet and the ground state the widths of the central line and the sidebands of the resonance fluorescence spectrum are totally controlled by the spontaneous emission rate of the upper doublet when the applying field is sufficiently strong. When the dipole moments are parallel, the central linewidth can be much narrower than the linewidths of spontaneous emission of the excited state and of the upper doublet due to the quantum interference. The smaller the upper doublet splitting, the narrower the central linewidth. We also notice that when the upper levels are degenerate the resonance fluorescence spectrum may depend on the initial condition because of the quantum interference.
We investigate the effect of quantum interference between the two transition pathways from the excited doublet to the ground level of a driven V atom on the spectral features of the resonance fluorescence emission. The ultranarrow spectral line at line center, which arises due to quantum interference, occurs over a wide range of parameters. The smaller the ratio of the excited doublet splitting to the effective Rabi frequency, the more pronounced the spectral line narrowing. However, the fluorescence emission is completely quenched when the atomic dipole moments are exactly parallel and the driving field is tuned to the average frequency of the atomic transitions. The narrow line is due to the slow decay rate of one dressed state, while the quenching arises from dressed-state trapping. A finite laser linewidth destroys the spectral narrowing features and the fluorescence quenching.
We study the influence of quantum interference on the spontaneous emission from an excited two-level atom when either the atomic upper or lower level is coupled by a coherent field to a third, usually higher-lying, state. In the case of the upper level coupling, destructive quantum interference between two competing decay amplitudes produces a dark line in the emission spectrum, a phenomenon that should not be confused with the well known population trapping, and a narrowing of one of the two side lobes that make up the spectral profile. Quantum interference is absent, instead, in the case of the lower level coupling, and the spectrum modified by the external driving field is just the incoherent superposition of two Lorentzian lines. We suggest a physical interpretation of these results. In addition, we compare the analytic predictions of the simplest nontrivial versions of these models with more realistic but nonanalytic descriptions and show, numerically, that the interference effects persist in the upper level case even when additional complications are taken into account.
We study the spontaneous-emission properties of a coherently driven four-level atom, and show a few interesting phenomena such as fluorescence quenching, spectral-line narrowing, spectral-line enhancement, and spectral-line elimination. These phenomena can be observed in experiment since the rigorous condition of near-degenerate levels with nonorthogonal dipole moments is not required here. Qualitatively, these phenomena can be attributed to the quantum interference between competitive spontaneous-decay channels in the bare-state picture or the spontaneously generated coherence between two close-lying levels in the dressed-state picture.
We discuss quantum interference effects in the resonance fluorescence spectrum of a \ensuremath{\Lambda} three-level atom when the lower-level doublet is driven by a coherent field. The interfering pathways that lead to the same final state involve both spontaneous decays and stimulated transitions, and differ from one another by an odd number of stimulated processes induced by the driving field. As a consequence, the interference structures depend upon the phase of the coherent field, an effect that is absent in other resonance fluorescence phenomena. The phase dependence of the quantum interference contribution is especially significant when the level splitting of the driven doublet is comparable to the spontaneous decay rates of the competing optical paths.