Coherent optical transients in a three-level atomic system

摘要

We analyze the transient response induced by a resonant, weak probe laser in a three-level V-type system driven by a strong, resonant coupling laser. The Rabi oscillation of the probe transition contains two frequencies determined by the coupling laser, and the ratio of the two-frequency components can be controlled by a time delay between the probe and the coupling laser. In particular, when both lasers are turned on simultaneously, the optical nutation with the frequency approximately equal to the Rabi frequency of the coupling laser is dominant; when the probe laser is turned on well after the steady state is reached for the coupling transition, the Rabi oscillation of the probe transition still occurs, and the oscillatory frequency is approximately equal to half of the Rabi frequency of the coupling laser. When both the probe and the coupling lasers are strong, the mutual interaction of the two fields and the atomic system may revive the optical nutation with each other. (C) 1997 Optical Society of America.