Coherent backscattering under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency

TL;DR

This paper investigates how a resonant control field affects weak localization of light in ultracold atomic ensembles, revealing that it can alter interference effects and reduce the enhancement factor below unity.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a control field can fundamentally change interference effects in multiple light scattering, including causing destructive interference.

Findings

Control field alters interference effects in light scattering

Enhancement factor can be reduced below one

Destructive interference occurs in certain polarization channels

Abstract

We consider the influence of a resonant control field on weak localization of light in ultracold atomic ensembles. Both steady-state and pulsed light excitation are considered. We show that the presence of a control field essentially changes the type of interference effects which occur under conditions of multiple scattering. For example, for some scattering polarization channels the presence of a control field can cause destructive interference through which the enhancement factor, normally considered to be greater than one, becomes less than one.