Nonlinear wave mixing with electromagnetically induced transparency in cold atoms

Abstract

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in a four-level atomic system suppresses linear absorption and leads to resonantly enhanced slow-light four-wave mixing at low light intensities. We analyse the backward four-wave mixing in the four-level system under the EIT conditions, derive the four-wave-mixing efficiency and discuss slow-light propagation conditions. We present experimental measurements of resonant four-wave mixing with the backward scheme in cold Rb atoms and compare the experimental results with the theoretical calculations.

Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the National Science Foundation and Office of Naval Research.