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Optics and Spectroscopy

On the Splitting of a Subcycle Pulse upon Its Coherent Propagation in a Resonant Medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, Nikolay N. Rosanov

Published May 1, 2018• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The dynamics of coherent propagation of a unipolar subcycle pulse of a large electric-field area (the integral of the electric-field strength with respect to time) in a nonlinear two-level resonant medium is studied theoretically. The propagating pulse is shown to be capable of splitting into a pair of individual components, each of which behaves like a pulse of self-induced transparency. This phenomenon is similar to the well-known phenomenon of splitting of a 4π or 6π pulse into a pair of 2π pulses of self-induced transparency, which occurs in the case of propagation of long pulses, when the notion of the pulse area is applicable and the area theorem holds.

DOI
10.1134/s0030400x18050028

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The dynamics of coherent propagation of a unipolar subcycle pulse of a large electric-field area (the integral of the electric-field strength with respect to time) in a nonlinear two-level resonant medium is studied theoretically. The propagating pulse is shown to be capable of splitting into a pair of individual components, each of which behaves like a pulse of self-induced transparency. This phenomenon is similar to the well-known phenomenon of splitting of a 4π or 6π pulse into a pair of 2π pulses of self-induced transparency, which occurs in the case of propagation of long pulses, when the notion of the pulse area is applicable and the area theorem holds.
The spectrum evolution of a few-cycle optical pulse in a resonant two-level atom medium is studied theoretically by using the full Maxwell-Bloch equations. On the propagating pulse, significantly much faster oscillation components separated with the main pulse appear due to strong self-phase modulation and pulse reshaping. In this case, ideal self-induced transparency cannot occur for a 2π pulse. The spectrum of the 4π pulse shows an evident oscillatory feature because of the continuum interference of the separate pulses. For larger pulse areas, continuum generation from near ultraviolet to infrared occurs.
The propagation of a unipolar light pulse with a duration of less than one period in a two-level resonant amplifying medium is studied theoretically. In the process of amplification, the unipolar pulse becomes bipolar. The effect of the relaxation time on the shape and duration of the amplified pulse is demonstrated. It is found that the electric pulse area (integral of electric field strength with respect to time) is conserved, in contrast to the area under the long pulse envelope (integral of slowly varying field amplitude with respect to time), which, in the case of long pulses, satisfies the McCall – Hahn area theorem.
Here we numerically investigate the propagation of unipolar half-cycle attosecond pulses with a duration much shorter than the period of the proper oscillations T 0 of the medium and its relaxation times T 1 and T 2 in a two-level resonant absorbing and amplifying medium. We find that despite breaking down of the famous McCall and Hahn area theorem, some phenomena described by this theorem are still qualitatively preserved. In particular, it is shown that pulses with small initial electric pulse area become sign-alternating upon the propagation, similar to the traditional 0 π pulses; pulses with 4 π , 5 π , and 6 π area are unstable and split into lower-order pulses, exactly as in the long-pulse case. The electric pulse area conservation rule and limitations of unipolar pulse amplification in two-level gain media, which follows from this rule, are discussed.
Based on the numerical solution of Maxwell-Bloch equations, we study the dynamics of coherent propagation of unipolar, half-cycle, attosecond light pulse in a three-level resonantly absorbing medium. A comparison with the propagation of such pulse in a two-level medium is performed. It is shown that the pulse, which behaves like a 4π-pulse in a two-level medium, in a three-level medium behaves like a 6π-pulse and splits into three sub-pulses propagating at different velocities in the medium. The investigated phenomenon allows for a more detailed understanding of the still insufficiently studied dynamics of coherent propagation of half-cycle pulses in a resonant medium.
Collisions of unipolar subcycle pulses in a nonlinear resonant medium that coherently interact with it are studied theoretically. The dynamics of spatial polarization structures and population difference that the pulses induce in the medium are analyzed. A surprising feature is that the medium is capable of “remembering” the result of the interaction with the pulses and their collisions during times comparable to the polarization relaxation time. An analysis of the dynamics of light-induced structures makes it possible to judge the parameters of subcycle pulses at the times longer than the pulse duration, which, in the future, can be useful in their detection.
The spectrum evolution of a few-cycle optical pulse in a resonant two-level atom medium is studied theoretically by using the full Maxwell-Bloch equations. On the propagating pulse, significantly much faster oscillation components separated with the main pulse appear due to strong self-phase modulation and pulse reshaping. In this case, ideal self-induced transparency cannot occur for a 2 pi pulse. The spectrum of the 4 pi pulse shows an evident oscillatory feature because of the continuum interference of the separate pulses. For larger pulse areas, continuum generation from near ultraviolet to infrared occurs.