Observation of Quantum Destructive Interference in Inelastic Two-Wave Mixing.

L. Deng, M. G. Payne, W. R. Garrett

Kaijun Jiang, L. Deng, M. G. Payne

Using room-temperature 87Rb atoms we demonstrate a quantum destructive interference between two one-photon excitation pathways in an inelastic two-wave mixing scheme that corresponds to the "strong-storage and weak-retrieval" of an optical field. This destructive interference is fundamentally different from the usual electromagnetically induced transparency because it is critically dependent on the generation and propagation of a wave-mixing field. We also show that contrary to the common belief, the maximum atomic coherence in general does not lead to the maximum mixing-wave conversion efficiency.

Y. Kim

P. B. Chappie, K. G. H. Baldwin, Hans‐A. Bachor

Interference between two different quantum-mechanical pathways for 4 wave mixing in sodium vapor has been observed. The 4 wave mixing was enhanced by 2-photon resonance with the 5s state, for one pathway, and the 4d state, for the other. The phase of the interference could be varied continuously by varying laser frequencies, and constructive and destructive interference effects were studied. A model based on third-order perturbation theory gives a good description of the features observed.

O.K. Anderson, Daan Lenstra, Steven Stolte