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Physical Review A

Vibrational-coherence measurement of nonequilibrium quantum systems by four-wave mixing

Alexander Schubert, Cyril Falvo, Christoph Meier

Published Nov 4, 2015• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We show theoretically that a quantum system in a nonequilibrium state interacting with a set of laser pulses in a four-wave-mixing setup leads to signal emission in directions opposite to the ones usually considered. When combined with a pump mechanism which sets a time origin for the nonequilibrium state creation, this particular optical response can be utilized to directly follow decoherence processes in real time. By varying the time delays within the probe sequence, signals in these unconventional directions can also be used to detect two-dimensional spectra determined by the dynamics of up to three-quantum coherences, revealing energetical anharmonicities and environmental influences. As a numerical example, these findings are demonstrated by considering a model of vibrational decoherence of carbon monoxide after photolysis from a hemeprotein.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.92.053402

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We show theoretically that a quantum system in a nonequilibrium state interacting with a set of laser pulses in a four-wave-mixing setup leads to signal emission in directions opposite to the ones usually considered. When combined with a pump mechanism which sets a time origin for the nonequilibrium state creation, this particular optical response can be utilized to directly follow decoherence processes in real time. By varying the time delays within the probe sequence, signals in these unconventional directions can also be used to detect two-dimensional spectra determined by the dynamics of up to three-quantum coherences, revealing energetical anharmonicities and environmental influences. As a numerical example, these findings are demonstrated by considering a model of vibrational decoherence of carbon monoxide after photolysis from a hemeprotein.
The delayed or time-domain four-wave-mixing experiment is treated in the regime of intense near-resonant pulses. The interaction with the radiation during both pump and probe pulses is considered to all powers of the electric field amplitude. Analytical results are obtained for an effective four-level system. These include the dependence of the coherence amplitudes on the ratio of the pump-field intensities when there is a large vibrational discrepancy between ground and excited electronic states and a general solution for the unitary time development during the probe pulse. For the first time, delayed coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering is detected from highly dilute (10-ppm) guest molecules. Illustrative examples are presented for the system of pentacene in benzoic acid at low temperature. Vibronic-free induction decay and the effect of field inhomogeneity across the beam profile are found to be essential for understanding the observed intensity and spectral distribution of the signal beam in the region of optimum pulse intensity.
The correlated behavior of electrons determines the structure and optical properties of molecules, semiconductors, and other systems. Valuable information on these correlations is provided by measuring the response to femtosecond laser pulses, which probe the very short time period during which the excited particles remain correlated. The interpretation of four-wave-mixing techniques, commonly used to study the energy levels and dynamics of many-electron systems, is complicated by many competing effects and overlapping resonances. Here we propose a coherent optical technique, specifically designed to provide a background-free probe for electronic correlations in many-electron systems. The proposed signal pulse is generated only when the electrons are correlated, which gives rise to an extraordinary sensitivity. The peak pattern in two-dimensional plots, obtained by displaying the signal versus two frequencies conjugated to two pulse delays, provides a direct visualization and specific signatures of the many-electron wave functions.
The role of four-wave mixing (FWM) techniques in coherent control is considered from the point of view of some of the most important developments in this field over the past years, namely multiphoton excitation, pump-dump methods, interference between coherent pulses, chirped laser pulses, and optimal control. FWM techniques provide a powerful platform for combining coherently multiple laser pulses. We explore the effectiveness of these techniques in controlling chemical reactions. The phase relationship between the pulses is maintained by detecting the signal in a phase-matching direction. The results presented show control over the observed dynamics from ground and excited state populations. The FWM signal results from the polarization of the sample following three different electric field interactions. The virtual echo sequence is achieved by the interactions of the sample with three consecutive electric fields characterized by exp[i(kx-w t)], exp[-i(kx-w t)] and exp[i(kx-w t)]. This sequence allows control over the observed ground or excited state dynamics. With the photon echo pulse sequence, characterized by interactions with exp[-i(kx-w t)], exp[i(kx-w t)], and exp[i(kx-w t)], we find that control of ground and excited state populations is not achieved.
We present results of our experimental investigations of phase-conjugate four-wave mixing in a nearly Doppler-free, collisionless, two-level quantum system with a partially coherent non-Markovian laser field. The two components of the laser field---an intense pump and a weak, time-delayed probe---are derived from a single narrow-band cw laser source on which phase and frequency fluctuations conforming to the phase diffusion model are superimposed. We carry out these measurements using the D2{D}_{2}D2​ transition in an optically pumped diffuse beam of atomic sodium. We vary the pump intensity, laser bandwidth, and temporal delay between the pump and probe, and measure the peak signal strength, the bandwidth, and the asymmetry of the four-wave-mixing spectrum. For comparison with our experimental results of the peak signal strength, we also analyze the same interaction numerically, through direct integration of the optical Bloch equations. The numerical results are in good agreement with the measurements.
We will demonstrate that four-wave mixing with linearly chirped (phase-modulated) pulses is a unique tool for obtaining information on the dynamics and level structure of a system. Especially, it will be shown that the transient-grating-scattering type of experiment with chirped pulses provides an immediate answer to the question of whether the dynamics of a system occurs on a fast and/or slow time scale. In addition, we present compelling evidence that chirped four-wave mixing in a molecular system is a viable method for measuring excited-state vibrational frequencies. Double-sided Feynman diagrams are used for a third-order perturbative calculation of two-level four-wave-mixing effects and chirped coherent Raman scattering. The diagrams provide a visual representation of the quantum-mechanical pathways that the system can take as a result of the different field interactions. The number of quantum-mechanical pathways that contribute to the signal is shown to depend on the chirp rate compared to the time scale(s) of the system dynamics. A stochastic model is used to describe the optical dynamics of the system. The resulting expressions for the third-order nonlinear polarization are so complex that numerical calculations are necessary to simulate the time dependence of the optical response. It will also be shown that our theoretical results in the appropriate limits converge to those obtained for impulsive or continuous-wave excitation.
Abstract We study nearly degenerate four-wave mixing using a two-photon-allowed vibrational transition of parahydrogen. A signal photon is generated by a trigger photon and coherence among parahydrogen, which is prepared by two counterpropagating pump pulses, and we investigate the dependence of the signal pulse energy on the trigger frequency. The measured spectra depend on the geometry, shifting depending on the direction of the signal pulse and on the small angle formed by the counterpropagating pump pulses. Furthermore, we investigate the dependence of signal pulse energy on the incident time of the trigger pulse. The measured signal pulse energy is high if the trigger pulse is delayed slightly with respect to the pump pulses. We demonstrate that these geometry-dependent spectra and coherent-transient response can be explained by using simple models.