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Soviet Physics Uspekhi

Self-induced transparency effect

I A Poluéktov, Yurii M Popov, V S Roĭtberg

Published May 31, 1975• 69 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A review is given of the current status of the self-induced transparency effect. The McCall–Hahn theory (2π pulses) is considered and its generalization to the case of phase modulation of radiation pulses, degeneracy of transitions, and two-photon resonance is discussed. The relationship with the theory of nonlinear waves, obeying the Korteweg–de Vries equation, is pointed out. The possibility of similar coherent effects in direct interband transitions in semiconductors is discussed. A summary is given of the experimental results demonstrating a strong fall in the absorption and a considerable slowing down of light pulses, typical of the self-induced transparency. Possible physical applications of the effect, based on these properties, are discussed.

DOI
10.1070/pu1975v017n05abeh004365

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A review is given of the investigations of the coherent interaction of light pulses with resonantly absorbing two-level media. An analysis is made of the self-induced transparency discovered by McCall and Hahn and of its importance in quantum electronics. Bleached states associated with the phase modulation are considered in detail. A comparison is made with the theory of nonlinear waves of different physical origin. A review is given of some possible physical applications associated with the discriminatory nature of the transmission and delay of light in the self-induced transparency effect.

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The results of theoretical research of the propagation effect of an ultrashort optical pulse under the conditions of coherent interaction with two resonant transitions are presented. One of the transitions is tuned to exact resonance with the pulse carrier frequency; the other is distanced by much more than the pulse spectral width, thus the adiabatic following approximation may be applied to it. The interaction between the pulse and the far-from-resonance transition is described by the wave equation with the nonlinear index of refraction in the form of the Lorentz function of the field amplitude. This wave equation is solved together with the Bloch equations for the exact resonant transition. The solution in the form of the stationary phase-modulated pulse is obtained, and (pi) -pulse of self-induced transparency is the special case of this solution. The obtained solution has the area under the pulse envelope less than (pi) , and with increasing the absorption coefficient of the far-from-resonance transition the pulse area decreases. The effect can be used for reducing the transparency threshold of the resonant medium below (pi) .

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Self-induced - transparency soliton propagation under the influence of far-resonant transition line

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Solitons in nonlinear optics. I. A more accurate description of the 2π pulse in self-induced transparency

J. Chris Eilbeck, John Gibbon, P. J. Caudrey +1 more

A more accurate description of the 2 pi pulse of self-induced transparency is obtained. This is an exact solution of an approximate form of the Maxwell-Bloch equations in which only backscattering is neglected; the equations are valid at densities less than about 10 18 atoms cm -3 . At such densities the 2 pi sech pulse of McCall and Hahn (1967, 1969) remains a good approximate well into the picosecond range. The more accurate solution is chirped by a factor proportional to the square of the ratio of the spectral width of the pulse to its carrier wave frequency. The stability of this pulse solution and other N soliton solutions of the approximate Maxwell-Bloch equations is demonstrated.

Journal of Physics A Mathematical Nuclear and General•Sep 1, 1973•169 citations
A review is given of the current status of the self-induced transparency effect. The McCall–Hahn theory (2π pulses) is considered and its generalization to the case of phase modulation of radiation pulses, degeneracy of transitions, and two-photon resonance is discussed. The relationship with the theory of nonlinear waves, obeying the Korteweg–de Vries equation, is pointed out. The possibility of similar coherent effects in direct interband transitions in semiconductors is discussed. A summary is given of the experimental results demonstrating a strong fall in the absorption and a considerable slowing down of light pulses, typical of the self-induced transparency. Possible physical applications of the effect, based on these properties, are discussed.
A review is given of the investigations of the coherent interaction of light pulses with resonantly absorbing two-level media. An analysis is made of the self-induced transparency discovered by McCall and Hahn and of its importance in quantum electronics. Bleached states associated with the phase modulation are considered in detail. A comparison is made with the theory of nonlinear waves of different physical origin. A review is given of some possible physical applications associated with the discriminatory nature of the transmission and delay of light in the self-induced transparency effect.
The results of theoretical research of the propagation effect of an ultrashort optical pulse under the conditions of coherent interaction with two resonant transitions are presented. One of the transitions is tuned to exact resonance with the pulse carrier frequency; the other is distanced by much more than the pulse spectral width, thus the adiabatic following approximation may be applied to it. The interaction between the pulse and the far-from-resonance transition is described by the wave equation with the nonlinear index of refraction in the form of the Lorentz function of the field amplitude. This wave equation is solved together with the Bloch equations for the exact resonant transition. The solution in the form of the stationary phase-modulated pulse is obtained, and (pi) -pulse of self-induced transparency is the special case of this solution. The obtained solution has the area under the pulse envelope less than (pi) , and with increasing the absorption coefficient of the far-from-resonance transition the pulse area decreases. The effect can be used for reducing the transparency threshold of the resonant medium below (pi) .
Self-induced transparency has been studied in detail experimentally for a simple two-level atomic absorption. A Hg II laser pulse is used at resonance with the D1{D}_{1}D1​ line of Rb. This system eliminates many previous experimental problems such as nonuniform wave fronts and degenerate off-resonant absorbers. Nonlinear transmission, pulse delays, pulse breakup, peak amplification, incoherent-decay effects, off-resonance effects, and focusing effects have been observed. Quantitative comparison with theory is obtained by computer solutions which include the incoherent decay and optical-pulse shapes of the Hg-Rb system. Good agreement is obtained with the theory of McCall and Hahn. Pulse compression by an order of magnitude is obtained by focusing in the resonant absorber. The theory predicting preferred pulse widths and velocities proposed by Davidovich and Eberly is discussed and found inappropriate for the Hg-Rb and other similar systems.
Theoretical research of propagation effect of ultrashort optical pulse under conditions of coherent interaction with two resonant transitions simultaneously is presented. One of the transitions is tuned in exact resonance with pulse carrier frequency; the other is distanced much more than spectral pulse width, thus the adiabatic following approximation may be applied. Interaction between the pulse and far-resonant transition is described by wave equation with nonlinear index of refraction in the form of Lorentz function for field amplitude. This wave equation is solved together with Bloch equations for the exact resonant transition. The solution in the form of stationary phase-modulated pulse is obtained, and 2π-pulse of self-induced - transparency is the special case of this solution. The obtained solution has a square under pulse envelope less than 2π, and with increasing of far-resonant transition absorption coefficient the pulse square decreases. The effect can be used for reducing of the transparency threshold of the resonant medium below pi.
A more accurate description of the 2 pi pulse of self-induced transparency is obtained. This is an exact solution of an approximate form of the Maxwell-Bloch equations in which only backscattering is neglected; the equations are valid at densities less than about 10 18 atoms cm -3 . At such densities the 2 pi sech pulse of McCall and Hahn (1967, 1969) remains a good approximate well into the picosecond range. The more accurate solution is chirped by a factor proportional to the square of the ratio of the spectral width of the pulse to its carrier wave frequency. The stability of this pulse solution and other N soliton solutions of the approximate Maxwell-Bloch equations is demonstrated.