München 2004 – scientific programme

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Q: Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 36: Poster Quanteneffekte

Q 36.8: Poster

Thursday, March 25, 2004, 14:00–16:00, Schellingstr. 3

Phase-dependent nonlinear optics with atoms in a diamond configuration of levels — •Sarah Schröder¹, Giovanna Morigi¹, and Sonja Franke-Arnold² — ¹Abteilung für Quantenphysik, Universität Ulm, Germany — ²Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom

We analyse the propagation of light in a medium of atoms with a diamond configuration of levels. This atomic configuration is characterised by a closed cycle of radiation-induced transitions, hence its dynamics and steady-state depend critically on the relative phase between the driving lasers [1]. In fact the relative phase can give rise to peculiar interference effects, making the medium either transparent or opaque. We present an analytical and numerical study of the propagation dynamics of the light amplitude and phase as a function of the initial laser parameters for this kind of medium, and compare our results with the dynamics of light propagation in a medium of double-Λ atoms [2].

1. [1] G. Morigi, S. Franke-Arnold and G.-L. Oppo,
     Phys. Rev. A 66, 053409 (2002)
2. [2] E. A. Korsunsky and D. V. Kosachiov,
     Phys. Rev. A 60, 4996 (1999)