Non-linear interactions in electromagnetically induced transparency and related pump-probe optical phenomena
V. L. Jacobs
Reduced density matrix descriptions are developed for linear and non-linear interactions in electromagnetically induced transparency and related pump-probe optical phenomena involving moving atomic systems. Applied magnetic fields as well as atomic collisions, together with other environmental decoherence and relaxation processes, are taken into account. Time-domain (equation-of-motion) and frequency-domain (resolvent-operator) formulations are developed in a unified manner. The standard Born (lowest-order perturbation-theory) and Markov (short-memory-time) approximations are systematically introduced within the framework of the general non-perturbative and non-Markovian formulations. A preliminary semiclassical treatment of the electromagnetic interaction is adopted. However, the need for a fully quantum mechanical approach is emphasized. Compact Liouville-space operator expressions are derived for the linear and the general (n'th order) non-linear macroscopic electromagnetic-response tensors within the framework of a perturbation-theory treatment of the semiclassical electromagnetic interaction. These expressions can be evaluated for coherent initial atomic excitations and for the full tetradic-matrix form of the Liouville-space self-energy operator representing the environmental interactions in the Markov approximation. Collisional interactions between atoms can be treated in various approximations for the self-energy operator, and the influence of Zeeman coherences on the electromagnetic-pulse propagation can be investigated.
Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Dec 29, 2008•0 citations