Three-level atom optics is introduced as a simple, efficient, and robust method to coherently manipulate and transport neutral atoms. The tunneling interaction among three trapped states allows us to realize the spatial analog of the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, coherent population trapping, and electromagnetically induced transparency techniques and offers a wide range of possible applications. We investigate an implementation in optical microtrap arrays and show that under realistic parameters the coherent manipulation and transfer of neutral atoms among dipole traps could be realized in the millisecond range.
We analyze the nonlinear optical response of a four-level atomic system driven into a tripod configuration. The large cross-Kerr nonlinearities that occur in such a system are shown to produce nonlinear phase shifts of order . Such a substantial shift may be observed in a cold atomic gas in a magneto-optical trap where it could be feasibly exploited towards the realization of a polarization quantum phase gate. The experimental feasibility of such a gate is here examined in detail.
This review paper is devoted to amplification and lasing without population inversion involving atomic transitions in gas media. We start by discussing the main motivation in inversionless lasing research, namely, the generation of short-wavelength laser light. Then, we review the basic physics of inversionless lasing in two-level and, eventually, in three-and multilevel atomic configurations. Finally, we summarize the current state of the art of LWI experiments and indicate the main difficulties with respect to short-wavelength laser generation.
Experimental evidence of scattering of second-harmonic light from the surface of spherical particles of optical dimensions is presented. This mechanism for second-harmonic generation is observed in a suspension of monodisperse spherical colloidal particles, ordered in a centrosymmetric crystalline lattice. In this periodic structure the mechanism of phase matching is provided by the bending of the photon dispersion curve near the Bragg reflection band. A simple theoretical analysis based on the Rayleigh-Gans scattering approximation shows that constructive interference of the second-harmonic light scattered from different portions of a singlesphere surface leads to a nonvanishing field with a quadrupolar distribution intensity pattern. ͓S1050-2947͑97͒06506-2͔
An analogy is explored between a setup of three atomic traps coupled via tunneling and an internal atomic three-level system interacting with two laser fields. Within this scenario we describe a STIRAP like process which allows to move an atom between the ground states of two trapping potentials and analyze its robustness. This analogy is extended to other robust and coherent transport schemes and to systems of more than a single atom. Finally it is applied to manipulate external degrees of freedom of atomic wave packets propagating in waveguides.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.