Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics
Transient studies of transparency and gain in laser-cooled rubidium lambda systems
S.R. de Echaniz, Andrew D. Greentree, Alan V. Durrant, J. P. Marangos, D. M. Segal, Joan A. Vaccaro
Abstract
Summary form only given. Many studies have been made of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and probe gain under steady-state conditions. We have carried out experimental studies of transient effects in rubidium lambda systems in the non-adiabatic regime where the coupling field is rapidly switched on using a Pockels cell in a time that is short compared with transient time scales. Our preliminary work has confirmed predictions that the steady-state EIT is approached through damped oscillations characterised by the coupling field Rabi frequency /spl Omega//sub c/ and the spontaneous decay rate /spl Gamma/. We report results of our recent investigations into the effects of strong coupling fields conducted in several different lambda schemes in the rubidium 5S/sub 1/2/-5P/sub 3/2/ hyperfine levels in a magnetooptical trap. We also studied the effects of the initial conditions of population and optical coherence, probe absorption on uncoupled Zeeman transitions, and incoherent pumping.