Quantum dynamics of a two-state system induced by a chirped zero-area pulse

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how chirped zero-area pulses can control quantum state populations by combining adiabatic and Rabi-like dynamics, with experimental validation using femtosecond laser pulses on rubidium atoms.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of using chirped zero-area pulses to engineer quantum state dynamics, bridging adiabatic and Rabi oscillations in a two-state system.

Findings

Successful experimental demonstration on rubidium atoms

Chirped zero-area pulses induce complete population inversion

The dynamics can be modeled as a Ramsey-like three-pulse interaction

Abstract

It is well known that area pulses make Rabi oscillation and chirped pulses in the adiabatic interaction regime induce complete population inversion of a two-state system. Here we show that chirped zero-area pulses could engineer an interplay between the adiabatic evolution and Rabi-like oscillations. In a proof-of-principle experiment utilizing spectral chirping of femtosecond laser pulses with a resonant spectral hole, we demonstrate that the chirped zero-area pulses could induce, for example, complete population inversion and return of the cold rubidium atom two-state system. Experimental result agrees well with the theoretically considered overall dynamics, which could be approximately modeled to a Ramsey-like three-pulse interaction, where the $x$- and $z$- rotations are respectively driven by the hole and the main pulse.