In the three-level Λ-type and V -type systems, we find that the same pump-effect parameter R = 2| V c | 2 γ/((ω ac −ω c ) 2 +γ 2 ) determines the population distributions, while the probe field leads to population fluctuations near the absorption peaks. With the increasing of the relaxation rate γ, the population distributions are shifted and their fluctuation amplitudes decrease. At the same time the electromagnetically induced transparency window becomes a broadened absorption peak and the dispersion at the zero probe detuning changes from positive to negative. Large population fluctuation and non-fluctuation observed in different systems are attributed to the different relaxation rates.
We discuss the influence of phase-changing collisions on the group velocities in Doppler-broadened, cycling, degenerate two-level systems where
Fe=Fg+1 and
Fg>0, interacting with pump and probe lasers, that exhibit electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA). Two model systems are considered: the
N system where the pump and probe are polarized perpendicularly, and EIA is due to transfer of coherence (TOC), and the double two-level system (TLS) where both lasers have the same polarization, and EIA is due to transfer of population (TOP). For the case of Doppler-broadened EIA TOC, which occurs at low pump intensity, there is a switch from positive to negative dispersion and group velocity, as the rate of phase-changing collisions is increased. For the case of EIA TOP at low pump intensity, the dispersion and group velocity remain negative even when the collision rate is increased. Pressure-induced narrowing, accompanied by an increase in the magnitude of the negative dispersion and a decrease in the magnitude of the negative group velocity, occurs in both EIA TOC and EIA TOP, at low pump intensity. When the pump intensity is increased, a switch from negative to positive dispersion and group velocity, with increasing collision rate, also occurs in the double TLS system. However, the effect is far smaller than in the case of the
N system at low pump intensity.
Dispersion and absorption properties of a weak probe field in a three-level V-type atomic system is studied. By application of indirect incoherent pump fields the effect of populating upper levels on optical properties of the atomic medium in presence of a strong coherent pump field is investigated. It is shown that the slope of dispersion changes from positive to negative just by changing the intensity of the coherent or indirect incoherent pump fields. It is demonstrated that the absorption-free subluminal and superluminal light propagation appears in this system.