Stochastic Theory of Frequency Redistribution in Two-Photon Processes

Zhidang Chen, Helen S. Freedhoff

J. C. de Aquino Carvalho, Marcos Oriá, Martine Chevrollier +2 more

The propagation of light in a resonant atomic vapor can a priori be thought of as a multiple scattering process, in which each scattering event redistributes both the direction and the frequency of the photons. Particularly, the frequency redistribution may result in L\'evy flights of photons, directly affecting the transport properties of light in a resonant atomic vapor and turning this propagation into a superdiffusion process. Here, we report on a Monte Carlo simulation developed to study the evolution of the spectrum of the light in a resonant thermal vapor. We observe the gradual change of the spectrum and its convergence towards a regime of complete frequency redistribution as the number of scattering events increases. We also analyze the probability density function of the step length of photons between emissions and reabsorptions in the vapor, which governs the statistics of the light diffusion. We observe two different regimes in the light transport: superdiffusion when the vapor is excited near the line center and normal diffusion for excitation far from the line center. The regime of complete frequency redistribution is not reached for excitation far from resonance even after many absorption and reemission cycles due to correlations between emitted and absorbed frequencies.

W. J. Mielniczuk, Jacek Chrostowski

The theoretical treatment of the optical frequency up-conversion process with stochastic pumping is presented. This process consists of exchange of photons between two modes of different frequencies. It is assumed that the two modes are coupled by a short memory stochastic function. Statistically averaged occupation numbers of both modes were calculated exactly by means of the theory of multiplicative stochastic processes. The obtained nonperturbative solution sums secular terms and is valid for arbitrary times. The oscillatory-damped nature of the exchange of energy between two modes and the role of partial incoherence of the pump is discussed. It is shown that stochastic coupling causes the equipartition of energy between two modes for sufficiently long times. Analogies between an up-converter and a two-level atom driven by a single mode electromagnetic field are indicated. Optical Bloch equations for an up-conversion process are derived.

Nikolay N. Bogolubov, Fam Le Kien, A.S. Shumovsky

孙江 Sun Jiang, Xiaoyang Chang, Su-Heng Zhang +1 more

In recent years, the collisional redistribution of radiation and collision-induced broadening of Rydberg atomic spectral lines by buffer gas perturbation have aroused the renewed interest. Rydberg atoms having a large dipole moment and long lifetime can interact with each other coherently for relatively long time, which makes them a potential candidate for quantum information processing. Besides, collisional redistribution has an important potential application in laser cooling and trapping. Based on previous experimental data, in this paper, two-nondegenerate four-wave mixing (NFWM) for studying atom collision, composed of two-photon resonant NFWM and collisional redistribution NFWM, is reported. The spectrum variation of the two-NFWM affected by the pressure, temperature, detuning and collision-broadening rate coefficient is analyzed. The principle of two-NFWM involving three incident beams is explained as follows. Consider two-NFWM in a |0-|1-|2 cascade three-level system, where states between |0 and |1 and between |1 and |2 ightangle are coupled by resonant frequencies 1 and 2 , respectively. Beam 1 with frequency 1 propagates along the direction opposite to the direction of beam 2, beams 2 and 2' have the same frequency 2, and between their directions there exists a small angle. Assuming that 1 1 and 2 2 so that 1 drives the transition from |0 to |1 while 2 drives the transition from |1 to |2, the simultaneous interactions of atoms with beams 1 and 2 will induce atomic coherence between |0 and |2 through two-photon excitation. This coherence is probed by beam 2', and as a result a two-photon resonant NFWM signal of frequency 1 is generated in the direction almost opposite to the direction of beam 2'. To avoid strong absorption at the resonant frequency of transition from |0 to |1, here the wavelength of beam1 is detuned from the exact resonance. An atom population of level |1 caused by collisional redistribution can be induced when a certain buffer gas pressure is imposed. The collisional redistribution NFWM process also exists in this case. Beam 2 drives the transition from |1 to |2 to induce an atomic coherence which is probed by beam 2' for giving rise to an atomic population grating. A collisional redistribution NFWM signal propagating along the same direction as the two-photon resonant NFWM signal is generated when beam 1 is scattered by the grating. Much information about atomic collisions can be obtained by analyzing the two NFWM signals. In a cascade three-level system composed of ground state, intermediate state and Rydberg state, and the two-NFWM can be used to investigate not only the broadening and shifting of the Rydberg level but also the collisional redistribution of the intermediate state. Unlike other experiments studying the pressure dependence of the longitudinal relaxation rate of atom states, this technique is a purely optical coherent means, and can measure the transverse relaxation rate 20 between Rydberg state and ground state as well as the pressure dependence of the transverse relaxation rate 21 between Rydberg state and intermediate state.

Nicola Cufaro Petroni, Jean Pierre Vigier