Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Oscillations in a three-level pump-probe configuration: dressed-state quantum beats

C. Wei, NB Manson, Jpd Martin

Published Jul 14, 1996• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Quantum beats can be observed when an atomic system is prepared in a coherent superposition of eigenstates. It manifests the most basic concept of quantum mechanics: coherence, and has been studied extensively. The common configuration for studying quantum beats is that a three-level system interacts with a pulse excitation, where either upper or lower level can be a closely- spaced doublet [1], We report here a new type of quantum beats, dressed-state quantum beats, observed in a three-level pump-probe configuration (Fig. 1). The three-level system and experimental detail can be found elsewhere [2].

Related papers

FEMTOSECOND QUANTUM BEATS IN OPTICAL TRANSMISSION-CORRELATION AND PUMP-PROBE MEASUREMENTS.

Masaharu Mitsunaga, Carson L. Tang

Recent femtosecond transmission-correlation measurements1 of large organic dye molecules revealed surprising details concerning the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of such dyes. Superposed on simple exponential decays, the observation of damped sinusoidal oscillations with a period of ~ 150 fs has been puzzling. We theoretically and numerically demonstrate that such oscillatory behavior could be due to quantum beats of closely spaced two levels, whose coherent superposition state is optically prepared and monitored by a pair of femtosecond pulses. Although studies of quantum beats have been developed in both fluorescence-type2 and nonfluorescence-type measurements, such as those based on photon echoes3 or polarization spectroscopy,4 this simple method gives a new approach to femtosecond time domain spectroscopy. The generalized perturbation theory5 of optical coherent transients is extended to the case of optical transmission-correlation or pump-probe-type experiments. The model used is a three-level system which has split levels in either the ground or optically excited states. Especially, if the ground state has sublevels, the system becomes quite similar to the case of coherent Raman beats. Both cases are shown to give quantum beats when the excitation pulses are short compared with the inverse sublevel splitting. The period and decay time of the damped sinusoid represent the separation energy and the dephasing time between the sublevels, respectively. Using third-order perturbation theory, the transmission-correlation signal STC(τ) as a function of the first-to-second pulse delay time Is derived for arbitrary-shaped excitation pulses and is given in the form of fourfold integrals with many terms.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Jan 1, 1987•0 citations

Direct detection of combined Rabi oscillations and fine-structure quantum beats in a neutral quantum-dot exciton

Adetunmise C. Dada, Ted Silva Santana, Antonios Koutroumanis +4 more

A commonly observed quantum-interference phenomenon is Rabi oscillations—understood as a ‘quantum beat’ between two dressed states separated by the Rabi splitting (RS) energy in a driven two-level (artificial) atom [1]. It is a signature of quantum coherence fundamental to the manipulation of atomic qubits in quantum information processing, and has been observed in quantum dots (QDs) (see Ref [2] and references therein). Another quantum-beat phenomenon occurs due to interference between the excited states of a V-type atomic system and has also been observed in the transient decay of QD emission from a suddenly excited neutral exciton state X0—an effective V-type system due to fine-structure splitting (FSS). Despite much related theoretical work and the availability of various platforms in which V-type systems could be realised, the observation of Rabi oscillations in resonance fluorescence from a coherently driven three-level V-type system remains a fundamentally interesting open question. In particular, quantum interference involving both RS and FSS has not been demonstrated experimentally. Here, through detection of time-resolved resonance fluorescence from a QD neutral exciton driven in the Rabi regime (Fig. 1), we experimentally demonstrate triple-slit-type quantum interference in a V-type three-level artificial atom [3]. This result is of fundamental interest in the experimental studies of the properties of V-type systems and may pave the way for further insight into their coherence properties. It also suggests QDs as candidates for multi-path-interference experiments for probing foundational concepts in quantum physics [4]. [1] Haroche, S. & Raimond, J.-M. Exploring the Quantum: Atoms, Cavities, and Photons. OUP Oxford, (2006). [2] Dada, A. C., et al. Optica 3, 493–498 (2016). [3] Dada, A. C., et al. arXiv preprint arXiv:1703.02308 (2017). [4] Sinha, U., Couteau, C., Jennewein, T., Laflamme, R., & Weihs, G. Science 329, 418–421 (2010).

•Jan 1, 2017•0 citations

Description of n -level systems in cooperative behavior. III. Quantum beats

I. R. Senitzky

Quantum beats in the radiation field of "three-level" atoms are analyzed by means of a previously developed boson-second-quantization (BSQ) formalism. Two types of atoms are considered: type I, in which beats are due to transitions from each of two closely spaced upper levels to a single lower level, and type II, in which beats are due to transitions between a single upper level and each of two closely spaced lower levels. This classification is motivated by the claim found in the literature that semiclassical theory and quantum theory give qualitatively different results concerning the existence of beats in the case of type-II atoms. The terminology associated with beats is made precise by distinguishing between amplitude modulation at the beat frequency of the transition frequency field $E$, and the existence of a spectral component at the beat frequency in ${E}^{2}$. With respect to the former, no qualitative difference is found in the predictions from semiclassical theory and quantum theory; with respect to the latter, results that appear paradoxical from an intuitive viewpoint are discussed. It is shown that for the case in which the atoms are all in the same coherent superposition of energy states, with all levels occupied, semiclassical and quantum-mechanical results become equivalent as the number of atoms increases. Reference is made to the disturbance caused by the measurement processes in the case of a single atom. The essential difference in spontaneous emission beats between type-I and type-II atoms [with the ground state(s) unoccupied] is explained by the fact that the phase of the beat amplitude may be determined by preparation of the initial state in type-I atoms but may not be determined in type-II atoms.

Physical Review A•Jan 1, 1977•10 citations

Quantum beats in the dressed state nutation

Xiaomin Feng, Lianshui Zhang, Jian Wang +2 more

In a V-shaped three-level double-resonance configuration, there is strong quantum beats superimposed in a nutation signal in the probe laser response. In this paper, the beats in the dressed state nutation is studied theoretically within dressed state picture and the result is presented. An important conclusion is that the strong quantum beats in such a configuration occurred mainly as a result of the intrinsic coherence of the dressed states. Our result extends the coherent transient study in bared atomic transition to dressed state transitions.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Nov 29, 2007•0 citations

Theory of quantum beats in optical transmission-correlation and pump-probe measurements

Masaharu Mitsunaga, Carson L. Tang

A full density-matrix theory for quantum beats in optical transmission-correlation or pump-probe type of experiments is developed. The model used is a three-level system with split excited-state levels. It is demonstrated on the basis of perturbation theory that quantum beats should be observable in such experiments. Theoretical and numerical results are compared with the complex details, including damped sinusoidal decays, observed in recent femtosecond relaxation studies of large organic dye molecules. It is also shown that there is no separately identifiable decay component corresponding to any homogeneous or inhomogeneous optical dephasing time in such experiments. Similar beating should also be observable in ultrafast spectroscopy using incoherent light and in Raman-type energy-level configurations where the ground state contains split levels.

Physical Review A•Feb 1, 1987•94 citations

Coherent transient in dressed-state and transient spectra of Autler-Townes doublet

Lianshui Zhang, Xiaomin Feng, Guangsheng Fu +4 more

In this paper we present a theoretical study of the time-dependent probe response in the presence of a strong pump field in a three-level pump-probe configuration. Two situations are investigated: a cw pump with a pulsed probe field and a pulsed pump with a cw probe field. The results are explained as dressed-state nutation and nutation by dynamic Stark switching. Dressed-state quantum beats are also an important feature for both situations. Furthermore, when a 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} phase shift after a $\ensuremath{\pi}∕2$ period is introduced in the pulsed probe field, there is a spin locking in the dressed-state transition. Our results give a satisfactory theoretical account of a previous experimental observation [Wei et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 1083 (1995)].

Physical Review A•Dec 8, 2004•9 citations
Quantum beats can be observed when an atomic system is prepared in a coherent superposition of eigenstates. It manifests the most basic concept of quantum mechanics: coherence, and has been studied extensively. The common configuration for studying quantum beats is that a three-level system interacts with a pulse excitation, where either upper or lower level can be a closely- spaced doublet [1], We report here a new type of quantum beats, dressed-state quantum beats, observed in a three-level pump-probe configuration (Fig. 1). The three-level system and experimental detail can be found elsewhere [2].
Recent femtosecond transmission-correlation measurements1 of large organic dye molecules revealed surprising details concerning the ultrafast relaxation dynamics of such dyes. Superposed on simple exponential decays, the observation of damped sinusoidal oscillations with a period of ~ 150 fs has been puzzling. We theoretically and numerically demonstrate that such oscillatory behavior could be due to quantum beats of closely spaced two levels, whose coherent superposition state is optically prepared and monitored by a pair of femtosecond pulses. Although studies of quantum beats have been developed in both fluorescence-type2 and nonfluorescence-type measurements, such as those based on photon echoes3 or polarization spectroscopy,4 this simple method gives a new approach to femtosecond time domain spectroscopy. The generalized perturbation theory5 of optical coherent transients is extended to the case of optical transmission-correlation or pump-probe-type experiments. The model used is a three-level system which has split levels in either the ground or optically excited states. Especially, if the ground state has sublevels, the system becomes quite similar to the case of coherent Raman beats. Both cases are shown to give quantum beats when the excitation pulses are short compared with the inverse sublevel splitting. The period and decay time of the damped sinusoid represent the separation energy and the dephasing time between the sublevels, respectively. Using third-order perturbation theory, the transmission-correlation signal STC(τ) as a function of the first-to-second pulse delay time Is derived for arbitrary-shaped excitation pulses and is given in the form of fourfold integrals with many terms.
A commonly observed quantum-interference phenomenon is Rabi oscillations—understood as a ‘quantum beat’ between two dressed states separated by the Rabi splitting (RS) energy in a driven two-level (artificial) atom [1]. It is a signature of quantum coherence fundamental to the manipulation of atomic qubits in quantum information processing, and has been observed in quantum dots (QDs) (see Ref [2] and references therein). Another quantum-beat phenomenon occurs due to interference between the excited states of a V-type atomic system and has also been observed in the transient decay of QD emission from a suddenly excited neutral exciton state X0—an effective V-type system due to fine-structure splitting (FSS). Despite much related theoretical work and the availability of various platforms in which V-type systems could be realised, the observation of Rabi oscillations in resonance fluorescence from a coherently driven three-level V-type system remains a fundamentally interesting open question. In particular, quantum interference involving both RS and FSS has not been demonstrated experimentally. Here, through detection of time-resolved resonance fluorescence from a QD neutral exciton driven in the Rabi regime (Fig. 1), we experimentally demonstrate triple-slit-type quantum interference in a V-type three-level artificial atom [3]. This result is of fundamental interest in the experimental studies of the properties of V-type systems and may pave the way for further insight into their coherence properties. It also suggests QDs as candidates for multi-path-interference experiments for probing foundational concepts in quantum physics [4]. [1] Haroche, S. & Raimond, J.-M. Exploring the Quantum: Atoms, Cavities, and Photons. OUP Oxford, (2006). [2] Dada, A. C., et al. Optica 3, 493–498 (2016). [3] Dada, A. C., et al. arXiv preprint arXiv:1703.02308 (2017). [4] Sinha, U., Couteau, C., Jennewein, T., Laflamme, R., & Weihs, G. Science 329, 418–421 (2010).
Quantum beats in the radiation field of "three-level" atoms are analyzed by means of a previously developed boson-second-quantization (BSQ) formalism. Two types of atoms are considered: type I, in which beats are due to transitions from each of two closely spaced upper levels to a single lower level, and type II, in which beats are due to transitions between a single upper level and each of two closely spaced lower levels. This classification is motivated by the claim found in the literature that semiclassical theory and quantum theory give qualitatively different results concerning the existence of beats in the case of type-II atoms. The terminology associated with beats is made precise by distinguishing between amplitude modulation at the beat frequency of the transition frequency field EEE, and the existence of a spectral component at the beat frequency in E2{E}^{2}E2. With respect to the former, no qualitative difference is found in the predictions from semiclassical theory and quantum theory; with respect to the latter, results that appear paradoxical from an intuitive viewpoint are discussed. It is shown that for the case in which the atoms are all in the same coherent superposition of energy states, with all levels occupied, semiclassical and quantum-mechanical results become equivalent as the number of atoms increases. Reference is made to the disturbance caused by the measurement processes in the case of a single atom. The essential difference in spontaneous emission beats between type-I and type-II atoms [with the ground state(s) unoccupied] is explained by the fact that the phase of the beat amplitude may be determined by preparation of the initial state in type-I atoms but may not be determined in type-II atoms.
In a V-shaped three-level double-resonance configuration, there is strong quantum beats superimposed in a nutation signal in the probe laser response. In this paper, the beats in the dressed state nutation is studied theoretically within dressed state picture and the result is presented. An important conclusion is that the strong quantum beats in such a configuration occurred mainly as a result of the intrinsic coherence of the dressed states. Our result extends the coherent transient study in bared atomic transition to dressed state transitions.
A full density-matrix theory for quantum beats in optical transmission-correlation or pump-probe type of experiments is developed. The model used is a three-level system with split excited-state levels. It is demonstrated on the basis of perturbation theory that quantum beats should be observable in such experiments. Theoretical and numerical results are compared with the complex details, including damped sinusoidal decays, observed in recent femtosecond relaxation studies of large organic dye molecules. It is also shown that there is no separately identifiable decay component corresponding to any homogeneous or inhomogeneous optical dephasing time in such experiments. Similar beating should also be observable in ultrafast spectroscopy using incoherent light and in Raman-type energy-level configurations where the ground state contains split levels.
In this paper we present a theoretical study of the time-dependent probe response in the presence of a strong pump field in a three-level pump-probe configuration. Two situations are investigated: a cw pump with a pulsed probe field and a pulsed pump with a cw probe field. The results are explained as dressed-state nutation and nutation by dynamic Stark switching. Dressed-state quantum beats are also an important feature for both situations. Furthermore, when a 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} phase shift after a $\ensuremath{\pi}∕2$ period is introduced in the pulsed probe field, there is a spin locking in the dressed-state transition. Our results give a satisfactory theoretical account of a previous experimental observation [Wei et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74, 1083 (1995)].