Distinguishing coherent atomic processes using wave mixing

TL;DR

This paper introduces a wave mixing technique to distinguish atomic processes like coherent population trapping and oscillations in rubidium atoms, enabling high-resolution spectral analysis and improved probing of atomic media.

Contribution

It presents a novel wave mixing approach that can differentiate atomic processes and achieve sub-kHz spectral resolution, surpassing laser linewidth limitations.

Findings

Successfully distinguished atomic processes in Rb D1 line

Achieved sub-kHz spectral resolution in wave mixing

Enhanced sensitivity and spatial selectivity for atomic media testing

Abstract

We are able to clearly distinguish the processes responsible for enhanced low-intensity atomic Kerr nonlinearity, namely coherent population trapping and coherent population oscillations in experiments performed on the Rb D1 line, where one or the other process dominates under appropriate conditions. The potential of this new approach based on wave mixing for probing coherent atomic media is discussed. It allows the new spectral components to be detected with sub-kHz resolution, which is well below the laser linewidth limit. Spatial selectivity and enhanced sensitivity make this method useful for testing dilute cold atomic samples.