Similarities between atomic wave packets and optical pulses

doi:10.1016/0921-4526(91)90703-H

Physica B: Condensed Matter

Volume 175, Issues 1–3, 1 December 1991, Pages 139-142

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Abstract

We consider the similarities between short optical pulses and atomic electron wave packets. The atomic potential acts in a similar way on the electron wave function as an optical cavity does on electromagnetic waves. It is shown that effects well known in optics, such as creation of pulsed light, dispersion, and shortening of optical pulses, can also occur for matter waves.

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Coherence-driven gain and its possible measurement in pump-probe experiments
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The transmitted, modified pulse is then split and made to interfere with itself with a time delay. Instead of coherently exciting closely spaced levels in atoms or molecules, we can also excite various longitudinal modes in a Fabry–Perot etalon [25]. Using short pulses from a Ti:Sapphire laser to excite several etalon modes we obtain an analogy to the electronic wave-packet dynamics, see Fig. 2.
We discuss the phenomenon of coherence-driven gain: the effect that oscillating atomic dipoles can amplify or attenuate a light field depending on the phase difference between dipoles and field. No inversion of atomic population is required to increase the field. This is in contrast to population-driven gain where an inverted atomic medium always contributes to gain, regardless of the phase of the light field. In particular, we discuss coherence-driven gain in two-level systems and wave-packets. We present gedanken experiments in an attempt to separate the phase-dependent gain from modifications of the probe pulse shape caused by the coherent pump mechanism. Experiments on electronic wave-packets in Nd:YAG are presented as an illustration. We also performed experiments using short optical pulses to excite etalon modes. These optical pulses mimic the wave-packet dynamics of matter. The experiments offer a clear interpretation of coherence-driven gain and lead to an analogy with interference on a beamsplitter and homodyne detection.
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Similarities between atomic wave packets and optical pulses

Abstract

Opt. Commun.

Die Naturwissenschaften

Phys. Rev. A

Phys. Rev. Lett.