Controlling nonlinear optical processes in multi-level atomic systems

Zheng Zheng, Zhang, Xiao Xiao

Christophe Besse, Jean Claude Garreau

Amitabh Joshi, Min Xiao

The atomic optical bistability (AOB) in multi-level systems has advantages over the two-level system as absorption, dispersion, and nonlinear optical properties of one optical field coupled to one atomic transition can be greatly modified by other optical fields coupled to other connected nearby atomic transitions in multi-level atomic systems due to induced atomic coherences. By making use of such changes in linear and nonlinear optical properties around resonance, which are related to the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), it is easy to manipulate and control nonlinear optical processes in the multi-level atomic systems. We review earlier two-level AOB theory, as well as experiments and some recent studies that made use of multi-level atomic EIT systems in achieving controls of nonlinear optical processes such as instabilities and stochastic resonance associated with the coupled atom–cavity systems.

Huaibin Zheng, Jing Zhang, Min Xiao

We experimentally investigate the effects of cascade third-order and fifth-order nonlinear optical processes in a four-level atomic system. The relative strengths of these high-order nonlinear optical processes can be manipulated by controlling the atomic coherence.

С. А. Бахрамов

A. M. Bonch-Bruevich, Sergey G. Przhibel'skii, V. V. Khromov