The appearance of quantum interference in the microscopic world is one of the deepest mysteries at the very root of quantum mechanics. When light interacts with atoms, it can induce transitions by way of distinct but indistinguishable pathways and yield unexpected and often counter-intuitive results. Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT), Coherent Population Trapping (CPT), and Lasing Without Inversion (LWI) are modern examples of phenomena where the traditional rules that govern absorption and dispersion undergo major revisions. Spectacular consequences of this new state of affairs include the ability of a light beam to propagate through a normally absorbing medium with little or no absorption, or to undergo amplification even if the active medium is not prepared in a state of population inversion. Light signals have been shown to travel with strongly subluminal group velocities of only a handful of meters per second and, even, to propagate at speed greater than the ordinary speed of light, but without violation of causality or of the established rules that control the transfer of optical information through space. Three-level atoms can interact with two coherent electromagnetic fields according to three different systems, known as Cascade, Lambda and Vee systems. The propagation of a weak probe field can be deeply affected by the presence of a second stronger beam, the so-called coupling field. Transparency windows, splitting of emission and absorption lines and enormously enhanced dispersion have been documented in numerous experiments. In this thesis we explore the physical origin of the transparency induced in these systems by the simultaneous interplay of the coupling and probe fields. We focus our attention on the Cascade system and study its two configurations, Cascade-EIT and Cascade-AT. We develop a variety of complementary approaches for the description of these two configurations, some semiclassical and others fully quantum mechanical. We prove the existence of quantum interference in Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and also the surprising absence of interference in a closely related phenomenon, known as the Autler-Townes effect. Finally we complement the traditional machinery of theoretical quantum optics with techniques borrowed from quantum scattering theory, and offer what we believe is the most convincing physical evidence for the appearance, or for the absence, of quantum interference effects.
The appearance of quantum interference in the microscopic world is one of the deepest mysteries at the very root of quantum mechanics. When light interacts with atoms, it can induce transitions by way of distinct but indistinguishable pathways and yield unexpected and often counter-intuitive results. Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT), Coherent Population Trapping (CPT), and Lasing Without Inversion (LWI) are modern examples of phenomena where the traditional rules that govern absorption and dispersion undergo major revisions. Spectacular consequences of this new state of affairs include the ability of a light beam to propagate through a normally absorbing medium with little or no absorption, or to undergo amplification even if the active medium is not prepared in a state of population inversion. Light signals have been shown to travel with strongly subluminal group velocities of only a handful of meters per second and, even, to propagate at speed greater than the ordinary speed of light, but without violation of causality or of the established rules that control the transfer of optical information through space. Three-level atoms can interact with two coherent electromagnetic fields according to three different systems, known as Cascade, Lambda and Vee systems. The propagation of a weak probe field can be deeply affected by the presence of a second stronger beam, the so-called coupling field. Transparency windows, splitting of emission and absorption lines and enormously enhanced dispersion have been documented in numerous experiments. In this thesis we explore the physical origin of the transparency induced in these systems by the simultaneous interplay of the coupling and probe fields. We focus our attention on the Cascade system and study its two configurations, Cascade-EIT and Cascade-AT. We develop a variety of complementary approaches for the description of these two configurations, some semiclassical and others fully quantum mechanical. We prove the existence of quantum interference in Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and also the surprising absence of interference in a closely related phenomenon, known as the Autler-Townes effect. Finally we complement the traditional machinery of theoretical quantum optics with techniques borrowed from quantum scattering theory, and offer what we believe is the most convincing physical evidence for the appearance, or for the absence, of quantum interference effects.
In this paper we explore the physical origin of the transparency induced in absorbing three-level cascade atoms by the simultaneous interplay of two coherent beams of light. By utilizing the scattering technique we offer what we believe is a very convincing physical evidence for the existence, or for the absence, of quantum interference effects in the two considered ladder systems. Bare and dressed states pictures are adopted in two different field regimes when applicable. The conclusions are drawn based on the existence of different excitation pathways and their relative orders of magnitudes. The presented study includes a distinction between the Autler–Townes (AT) and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) phenomena.
Quantum coherence and interference in atomic systems can lead to interesting optical phenomena such as nonabsorbing resonances, lasing without inversion, generating an ultrahigh index of refraction without absorption, propagation of light pulses without losses. In the last-named is given the title transparency. Up to now it is known some types of transparency in multi-level resonant media. One of them is electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The phenomenon of EIT in the propagation of laser radiation through an absorbing medium has been recently investigated and explained in terms of quantum coherence and interference for multi-level atomic system. For instance in the (Lambda) -system, if the atomic medium is prepared in a quantum superposition of states, matched pulses, i.e., a pair of optical pulses whose amplitude and phase have a well defined relation, propagate without absorption. The mechanism of coherent population trapping is responsible for EIT in a (Lambda) -system. There is another, well known mechanism for creating transparency in a two-state atom: self-induced transparency, or SIT. Here, a single pulse whose area (the integral of its Rabi frequency over time) is 2(pi) is applied to the medium. Such a pulse causes the atoms to cycle smoothly from the ground to the excited state and then back again. In principle, such a pulse can propagate over long distances. SIT can be generalized to multi-level systems and multiple quasi-monochromatic fields. Generalization of SIT in a (Lambda) -system was obtained in reference 2. In this report we present a new type of transparency (combined transparency). This type describes propagation of laser pulse through a (Lambda) -type medium where the initial atomic state is prepared in the form of spatially varying coherent superposition of low-energetic states (initial coherency gradient). The common envelope behaves as usual 2(pi) hyperbolic secant pulse, but the ratio between the components of frequencies transitions 1> yields 3> and 2> yields 3> changes due to coherent Raman scattering so (phi) equals atan(E1/E2) equals (pi) /2-Gz, where z is the coordinate, G is the constant determined by both the incident pulse parameters and the initial coherence between the atomic states. Our solution demonstrates a direct connection of EIT in adiabatic regime to the SIT effects. This type of a transparency is given the title screw-type transparency, because for the given form of incident pulse (pitch of screw) medium is transparent, if medium's the initial coherence gradient is correspondingly prepared (thread on a engine nut). Besides a transparency, this phenomenon contains a transformation of the incident pulse frequency during the process of the propagation. This property of the phenomena can be result in a complete conversion of the frequency.
We study the propagation dynamics of a single pair of probe and coupling laser pulses in a three-level cascade atomic medium by numerical solving the Maxwell-Bloch equations for atoms and fields. Influences of the pulse durations, intensity and pulse area of the coupling laser on the probe laser propagation are investigated. We found the conditions that the undistorted probe pulse in such medium, i.e., the EIT effect is established. Under EIT conditions, the ground state population is trapped in a dark state. Full Text: PDF References A. Imamoglu, S.E. Harris, "Lasers without inversion: interference of dressed lifetime-broadened states", Opt. Lett. 14 (1989) 1344. CrossRef K.J. Boller, A. Imamoglu, S.E. Harris, "Observation of electromagnetically induced transparency", Phys. Rev. Lett. 66 (1991) 2593. CrossRef A.S. Zibrov, M.D. Lukin, D.E. Nikonov, L. Hollberg, M.O. Scully, V.L. Velichansky, and H.G. Robinson, "Experimental Demonstration of Laser Oscillation without Population Inversion via Quantum Interference in Rb", Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 (1995) 1499. CrossRef L.V. Hau, S. E. Harris, Z. Dutton, C.H. Bejroozi, "Light speed reduction to 17 metres per second in an ultracold atomic gas", Nature, 397 (1999) 594. CrossRef L.V. Doai, D.X. Khoa, and N.H. Bang, "EIT enhanced self-Kerr nonlinearity in the three-level lambda system under Doppler broadening", Phys. Scr. 90 (2015)045502. CrossRef D.X. Khoa, L.V. Doai, D.H. Son, and N.H. Bang, "Enhancement of self-Kerr nonlinearity via electromagnetically induced transparency in a five-level cascade system: an analytical approach", J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 31, N6 (2014), pp. 1330. CrossRef F.T. Hioe and R. Grobe, "Matched Optical Solitary Waves for Three- and Five-Level Systems", Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, (1994) 2559. CrossRef S.E. Harris and Z.F. Luo, "Preparation energy for electromagnetically induced transparency", Phys. Rev. A. 52 (1995) R928. CrossRef V. G. Arkhipkin, I.V. Timofeev, "Adiabatic propagation of short pulses under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency", Quantum Electronics, 30 (2000) 180. CrossRef M. Kiffner, T. N. Dey, "Dynamical control of pulse propagation in electromagnetically induced transparency", Phys. Rev. A. 79 (2009) 023829. CrossRef R. Yu, J. Li, P. Huang, A. Zheng, X. Yang, "Dynamic control of light propagation and optical switching through an RF-driven cascade-type atomic medium", Phys. Lett. A. 373 (2009) 2992. CrossRef E. Paspalakis,N. J. Kylstra and P. L. Knight, "Propagation and nonlinear generation dynamics in a coherently prepared four-level system", Phys. Rev. A 65 (2002) 053808. CrossRef E. Ignesti, R. Buffa, L. Fini, E. Sali, M. V. Tognetti, S. Cavalieri, "Controlling the propagation of broadband light pulses by Electromagnetically Induced Transparency", Opt. Commun, 285 (2012) 1185. CrossRef P. R. Bermanand C. H. Raymond Ooi, "Pulse propagation in a medium of ?-type atoms", Phys. Rev. A 86 (2012), 053812. CrossRef G. Buica, T. Nakajima, "Propagation of two short laser pulse trains in a ?-type three-level medium under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency", Opt. Commun. 332 (2014) 59. CrossRef L. V. Doai, P. V. Trong, D. X. Khoa, and Ng. H. Bang, "Electromagnetically induced transparency in five-level cascade scheme of 85Rb atoms: An analytical approach", Optik, 125 (2014) 3666?3669. CrossRef J.H. Eberly, "Transmission of dressed fields in three-level media", Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 7 (1995) 373. CrossRef M.D. Crisp, "Propagation of Small-Area Pulses of Coherent Light through a Resonant Medium", Phys. Rev. A 1 (1970) 1604. CrossRef
We study the propagation dynamics of a single pair of probe and coupling laser pulses in a three-level cascade atomic medium by numerical solving the Maxwell-Bloch equations for atoms and fields. Influences of the pulse durations, intensity and pulse area of the coupling laser on the probe laser propagation are investigated. We found the conditions that the undistorted probe pulse in such i.e., the effect is established. Under conditions, the ground state population is trapped in a dark state. Full Text: PDF References A. Imamoglu, S.E. Harris, Lasers without inversion: interference of dressed lifetime-broadened states, Opt. Lett. 14 (1989) 1344. CrossRef K.J. Boller, A. Imamoglu, S.E. Harris, Observation of electromagnetically induced transparency, Phys. Rev. Lett. 66 (1991) 2593. CrossRef A.S. Zibrov, M.D. Lukin, D.E. Nikonov, L. Hollberg, M.O. Scully, V.L. Velichansky, and H.G. Robinson, Experimental Demonstration of Laser Oscillation without Population Inversion via Quantum Interference in Rb, Phys. Rev. Lett. 75 (1995) 1499. CrossRef L.V. Hau, S. E. Harris, Z. Dutton, C.H. Bejroozi, speed reduction to 17 metres per second in an ultracold atomic gas, Nature, 397 (1999) 594. CrossRef L.V. Doai, D.X. Khoa, and N.H. Bang, EIT enhanced self-Kerr nonlinearity in the three-level lambda system under Doppler broadening, Phys. Scr. 90 (2015)045502. CrossRef D.X. Khoa, L.V. Doai, D.H. Son, and N.H. Bang, Enhancement of self-Kerr nonlinearity via electromagnetically induced transparency in a five-level cascade system: an analytical approach, J. Opt. Soc. Am. B, 31, N6 (2014), pp. 1330. CrossRef F.T. Hioe and R. Grobe, Matched Optical Solitary Waves for Three- and Five-Level Systems, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, (1994) 2559. CrossRef S.E. Harris and Z.F. Luo, Preparation energy for electromagnetically induced transparency, Phys. Rev. A. 52 (1995) R928. CrossRef V. G. Arkhipkin, I.V. Timofeev, Adiabatic propagation of short pulses under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency, Quantum Electronics, 30 (2000) 180. CrossRef M. Kiffner, T. N. Dey, Dynamical control of pulse propagation in electromagnetically induced transparency, Phys. Rev. A. 79 (2009) 023829. CrossRef R. Yu, J. Li, P. Huang, A. Zheng, X. Yang, Dynamic control of light propagation and optical switching through an RF-driven cascade-type atomic medium, Phys. Lett. A. 373 (2009) 2992. CrossRef E. Paspalakis,N. J. Kylstra and P. L. Knight, Propagation and nonlinear generation dynamics in a coherently prepared four-level system, Phys. Rev. A 65 (2002) 053808. CrossRef E. Ignesti, R. Buffa, L. Fini, E. Sali, M. V. Tognetti, S. Cavalieri, Controlling the propagation of broadband light pulses by Induced Transparency, Opt. Commun, 285 (2012) 1185. CrossRef P. R. Bermanand C. H. Raymond Ooi, Pulse propagation in a medium of ?-type atoms, Phys. Rev. A 86 (2012), 053812. CrossRef G. Buica, T. Nakajima, Propagation of two short laser pulse trains in a ?-type three-level medium under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency, Opt. Commun. 332 (2014) 59. CrossRef L. V. Doai, P. V. Trong, D. X. Khoa, and Ng. H. Bang, Electromagnetically induced transparency in five-level cascade scheme of 85Rb atoms: An analytical approach, Optik, 125 (2014) 3666?3669. CrossRef J.H. Eberly, Transmission of dressed fields in three-level media, Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 7 (1995) 373. CrossRef M.D. Crisp, Propagation of Small-Area Pulses of Coherent Light through a Resonant Medium, Phys. Rev. A 1 (1970) 1604. CrossRef
Atomic coherence and interference manifested by electromagentically induced transparency (EIT) and coherent population trapping (CPT) plays an important role in the current studies of atom-photon interactions and has found numerous applications in optical physics. EIT is created in a three-level atomic system by a coupling field and results in destructive interference between two excitation paths of a weak probe laser interacting with the atomic medium. This leads to suppressed linear absorption and rapidly varying atomic dispersion for the probe laser near the atomic resonance, which provides the platform for a variety of applications such as nonlinear optics at low light levels, slow light manipulation, and quantum state engineering for photons and atoms. Here we extend the simple three-level EIT system to more complicated and versatile configurations in a multi-level atomic system coupled by multiple laser fields. We show that with multiple excitation paths provided by different laser fields, phase-dependent quantum interference is induced: either constructive or destructive interference can be realized by varying the relative phases among the laser fields. Two specific examples are discussed. One is a three-level system coupled by bichromatic coupling and probe fields, in which the phase dependent interference between the resonant two-photon Raman transitions can be initiated and controlled. Another is a four-level system coupled by two coupling fields and two probe fields, in which a double-EIT configuration is created by the phase-dependent interference between three-photon and one-photon excitation processes. We analyze the coherently coupled multi-level atomic system and discuss the control parameters for the onset of constructive or destructive quantum interference. We describe two experiments performed with cold Rb atoms that can be approximately treated as the coherently coupled three-level and four-level atomic systems respectively. The experimental results show the phase-dependent quantum coherence and interference in the multi-level Rb atomic system, and agree with the theoretical calculations based on the coherently coupled three-level or four-level model system.
Recently, there has been increasing interest on the idea of controlling optical responses using atomic-coherence or quantum-interferences. Typical example may be the concept of electomagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) [1]. The key idea of EIT is to apply a strong-coupling field between a metastable and upper states to dress them equivalently as two states decaying to a common level or continuum, and to induce the transparency at the split-center of Autler-Townes components. This idea of EIT may open new possibilities to various coherent processes, such as lasing without population inversion, enhanced refractive index without absorption], slow group velocity without absorption, enhanced nonlinearity without absorption, etc.