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International Journal of Physics

Generalized Optical Bloch Equations for a General Three-Level Atom Interacting with a Linearly Polarized Light in the Rotating Wave and Electric Dipole Approximations

Mesfin Woldeyohannes

Published Jul 24, 2024• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The nine (9) elements of the density matrix of a general three-level atom interacting with a classically described linearly polarized light are parameterized by eight (8) variables related to the populations of the atomic levels, and the coherences (interference effects) between the levels. The dynamical equations of these eight parameters (that is, the optical Bloch equations for a general three-level atom) are derived under the electric dipole as well as the rotating wave approximations, and under the assumption that the matrix elements of the atomic electric dipole are all real. The general optical Bloch equations so derived are shown to contain the well-known optical Bloch equations for three-level atoms in the , and cascade configurations as well as those for two-level atoms as special cases. Expressing the interaction of light with a three-level atom in all possible configurations as well as with a two-level atom by a single set of generalized optical Bloch equations is the main result of this work.

DOI
10.12691/ijp-12-4-4

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The nine (9) elements of the density matrix of a general three-level atom interacting with a classically described linearly polarized light are parameterized by eight (8) variables related to the populations of the atomic levels, and the coherences (interference effects) between the levels. The dynamical equations of these eight parameters (that is, the optical Bloch equations for a general three-level atom) are derived under the electric dipole as well as the rotating wave approximations, and under the assumption that the matrix elements of the atomic electric dipole are all real. The general optical Bloch equations so derived are shown to contain the well-known optical Bloch equations for three-level atoms in the , and cascade configurations as well as those for two-level atoms as special cases. Expressing the interaction of light with a three-level atom in all possible configurations as well as with a two-level atom by a single set of generalized optical Bloch equations is the main result of this work.
We derive a set of optical Bloch equations (OBEs) directly from the minimal-coupling Hamiltonian density of the bound-state quantum electrodynamics (bound-state QED). Such optical Bloch equations are beyond the former widely-used ones due to that there is no electric dipole approximation (EDA) on the minimal-coupling Hamiltonian density of the bound-state QED. Then our optical Bloch equations can describe a two-level atom interacting with a monochromatic light of arbitrary wavelength, which are suitable to study the spectroscopy and the Rabi oscillations of two-level atoms in X-ray laser beams since that the wavelength of X-ray is close to an atom to make the electric dipole approximation (EDA) invalid.
We propose and develop a method for theoretical description of circularly (elliptically) polarized optical pulse resonant coherent interactions with two-level atoms. The method is based on the time-evolution equations of a two-level quantum system in the presence of a time-dependent dipole perturbation for electric dipole transitions between states with total angular-momentum projection difference $(\ensuremath{\Delta}{J}_{z}=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1)$ excited by a circularly polarized electromagnetic field [Feynman et al., J. Appl. Phys. 28, 49 (1957)]. The adopted real-vector representation approach allows for coupling with the vectorial Maxwell's equations for the optical wave propagation and thus the resulting Maxwell pseudospin equations can be numerically solved in the time domain without any approximations. The model permits a more exact study of the ultrafast coherent pulse propagation effects taking into account the vector nature of the electromagnetic field and hence the polarization state of the optical excitation. We demonstrate self-induced transparency effects and formation of polarized solitons. The model represents a qualitative extension of the well-known optical Maxwell-Bloch equations valid for linearly polarized light and a tool for studying coherent quantum control mechanisms.
By means of the optical Bloch equations based on the atomic density matrix elements, the general expressions of the average dissipative force, dipole force and the mechanical torque acting on a A-configuration three-level atom in a linearly-polarized Laguerre-Gaussian beam (LGB) with an angular momentum of lh are derived, and the general properties of the average dissipative and dipole force on the three-level atom in the linearly-polarized LGB are analysed. We find a resonant property (with two resonant peaks) of the dissipative force and a non-resonant property (with two pairs of non-resonant peaks) of the dipole force on the three-level atom, which are completely different from those on the two-level atom. Our study also shows that all of general expressions on the three-level atom will be simplified to those on the two-level atom in the approximation of large detuning.
By means of the optical Bloch equations based on the atomic density matrix elements, the general expressions of the average dissipative force, dipole force and the mechanical torque acting on a Λ-configuration three-level atom in a linearly-polarized Laguerre–Gaussian beam (LGB) with an angular momentum of l ℏ are derived, and the general properties of the average dissipative and dipole force on the three-level atom in the linearly-polarized LGB are analysed. We find a resonant property (with two resonant peaks) of the dissipative force and a non-resonant property (with two pairs of non-resonant peaks) of the dipole force on the three-level atom, which are completely different from those on the two-level atom. Our study also shows that all of general expressions on the three-level atom will be simplified to those on the two-level atom in the approximation of large detuning.
We investigate the interaction of a multilevel atom with a short femtosecond optical pulse beyond the scope of the rotating-wave approximation. We consider the behavior of a three-level atom under the action of two optical pulses resonant with two allowed transitions and a two-level atom under the action of a resonant optical pulse. It is shown that the imaginary part of the off-diagonal elements of the density matrix oscillates with high frequency due to the counter-rotating terms. It is shown also that an effective time-dependent addition to the Rabi frequency exists, which is of importance for ultrashort optical pulses.
We propose atom mirror schemes for a three-level atom of Λ-type interacting with two evanescent fields, which are generated as a result of the total internal reflection of two coherent Gaussian laser beams at the interface of a dielectric prism with vacuum. The forces acting on the atom are derived by means of optical Bloch equations, based on the atomic density matrix elements. The theory is illustrated by setting up the equations of motion for 23Na atom. Two types of excited schemes are examined, namely the cases in which the evanescent fields have polarization types of and . The equations are solved numerically and we get results for atomic trajectories for different parameters. The performance of the mirror for the two types of polarization schemes is quantified and discussed. The possibility of reflecting atoms at pre-determined directions is also discussed.