Molecular Physics

Frequency mixing in a four-level atom interacting with a strong bichromatic field

Constantine Mavroyannis

Published Nov 1, 1984• 2 citations

Abstract

We have considered the fluorescent spectra arising from the interaction of a four-level atom with two strong electromagnetic fields whose initially populated modes ω a and ω b are in resonance with three of the atomic transition frequencies. Green's function formalism has been used in the limit of high photon densities to calculate the excitation spectra near the frequencies ω = ±(2ω a - ω b ). Expressions for the total relative intensity of the system have been derived as a function of the parameter ζ = Ω2 b /Ω2 a , where Ω a and Ω b are the Rabi frequencies of the two laser fields, respectively. For ζ = 0, the spectra consist of a central peak at ω = 2ω a - ω b and a pair of sidebands at ω = 2ω a - ω b ± Ω a √2, both having spectral widths of the order of γ0, where γ0 is the spontaneous emission probability. The relative intensity of the central peak for Ω a ≠ 0 is reduced by 25 per cent of its original value obtained for Ω a = 0. For ζ ≠ 0, the relative intensity of the central peak increases slowly as ζ increases while that of the pair of sidebands at ω = 2ω b - ω b ± Ω a √2 is reduced by a factor of two of its given value for ζ = 0. This destructive interference is due entirely to the presence of the second laser field with Ω b ≠ 0. A new pair of sidebands, which arise from the cooperative effect of both laser fields, is peaked at ω = 2ω a - ω b ± Ω a √(2 + 0·5ζ) and has a spectral width equal to γ0. A set of four pairs of sidebands also appear at ω = 2ω a - ω b ± Cj (ζ)Ω a with j = 1, 2, 3, 4, respectively, which have spectral widths of the order of 3γ0/2. The existence of these pairs of sidebands depends strongly on the value of the parameter ζ. Numerical estimates for the coefficients Cj (ζ) and the relative intensities of these sidebands are tabulated for a wide range of values of ζ and discussed in detail.

DOI: 10.1080/00268978400102781

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