Coherent Raman scattering processes

Alexei V. Sokolov

Minhaeng Cho

A theoretical description of the resonant coherent hyper-Raman scattering for an arbitrary system–bath interaction is presented. Particularly the relationship between the coherent hyper-Raman scattering (CHRS) and coherent Raman scattering (CRS) signals is established without alluding to any specific model of optical broadening. The permanent dipole moment difference between the excited and ground states of a given chromophore is shown to be proportional to the ratio of the CHRS to CRS signals, and it is proved that this result is valid regardless of the model for the chromophore–bath interaction.

Hervé Rigneault

Qun Zhang

Abstract A novel approach toward phase‐locking of two independently produced yet energetically degenerate coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) processes is put forward. The proposed all‐optical implementation involves a modified Mach–Zehnder interferometer, which is utilized to transfer phase coherence from three totally uncorrelated laser beams into two degenerate CARS beams that are produced in two distinct Raman active samples. Such a CARS interferometer based on coherent phase transport allows explicit measurement and control of phase differences between the two phase‐locked degenerate CARS processes, and hence may find applications in pertinent research fields such as CARS spectroscopy (tomography) as well as quantum information processing and transfer. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

G. L. Eesley

Hervé Rigneault, Pascal Berto

Coherent Raman scattering processes such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and stimulated Raman scattering are described in a tutorial way keeping simple physical pictures and simple derivations. The simplicity of the presentation keeps however most of the key features of these coherent and resonant processes and their intimate relation with spontaneous Raman scattering. This tutorial provides a digest of introduction to the fundamental physics at work, and it does not focus on the numerous technological implementations; rather, it provides the concepts and the physical tools to understand the extensive literature in this field. The presentation is made simple enough for under-graduate students, graduate students, and newcomers with various scientific backgrounds.