Nonlinear absorption and density-dependent dephasing in Rydberg electromagnetically-induced-transparency media
Light propagation through an ensemble of ultracold Rydberg atoms in an electromagnetically-induced-transparency (EIT) configuration is studied. In strongly interacting Rydberg EIT media, nonlinear optical effects lead to a nontrivial dependence of the degree of probe-beam attenuation on the medium d...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article (Journal) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
18 September 2013
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| In: |
Physical review. A, Atomic, molecular, and optical physics
Year: 2013, Volume: 88, Issue: 3 |
| ISSN: | 1094-1622 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevA.88.033417 |
| Online Access: | Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.88.033417 Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.88.033417 
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| Author Notes: | Martin Gärttner and Jörg Evers |
| Summary: | Light propagation through an ensemble of ultracold Rydberg atoms in an electromagnetically-induced-transparency (EIT) configuration is studied. In strongly interacting Rydberg EIT media, nonlinear optical effects lead to a nontrivial dependence of the degree of probe-beam attenuation on the medium density and on its initial intensity. We develop a Monte Carlo rate equation model that self-consistently includes the effect of the probe-beam attenuation to investigate the steady state of the Rydberg medium driven by two laser fields. We compare our results to recent experimental data and to results of other state-of-the-art models for light propagation in Rydberg EIT media. We find that for low probe field intensities, our results match the experimental data best if a density-dependent dephasing rate is included in the model. At higher probe intensities, our model deviates from other theoretical approaches, because it predicts a spectral asymmetry together with line broadening. These are likely due to off-resonant excitation channels, which, however, have not been observed in recent experiments. Atomic motion and coupling to additional Rydberg levels are discussed as possible origins for these deviations. |
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| Item Description: | Gesehen am 26.01.2021 |
| Physical Description: | Online Resource |
| ISSN: | 1094-1622 |
| DOI: | 10.1103/PhysRevA.88.033417 |