Population transfer in a Lambda system induced by detunings

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel chirped STIRAP protocol for coherent population transfer in three-level artificial atoms, enabling control with limited switching capabilities, which is promising for quantum computing and photonics.

Contribution

It presents a new population transfer method using frequency chirps that works without switching off control fields, tailored for artificial atom architectures.

Findings

Achieves approximate destructive interference without a dark state

Applicable to strongly coupled artificial atoms with limited control

Provides a benchmark for quantum control in artificial atoms

Abstract

In this paper we propose a new protocol to achieve coherent population transfer between two states in a three-level atom by using two ac fields. It is based on the physics of Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP), but it is implemented with the constraint of a reduced control, namely one of the fields cannot be switched off. A combination of frequency chirps is used with resonant fields, allowing to achieve approximate destructive interference, despite of the fact that an exact dark state does not exist. This new chirped STIRAP protocol is tailored for applications to artificial atoms, where architectures with several elementary units can be strongly coupled but where the possibility of switching on and off such couplings is often very limited. Demonstration of this protocol would be a benchmark for the implementation of a class of multilevel advanced control procedures for quantum computation and microwave quantum photonics in artificial atoms.