Electromagnetic Field Mapping and Population Switching by Coherent Manipulation of Laser-Dressed Rydberg States

The US Office of Naval Research (ONR) Grant No. N00014-12-1-0514 research project was focused on studies of interaction of hyperfine level systems with coherent radiation fields and development of new approaches that utilize laser-dressed states for achieving control of the population dynamics. The most significant results of the project include: (i) demonstration of dressed-states interference in the Autler-Townes effect, which opens application perspectives for selective addressing of unresolved hyperfine states and realization of two-component bichromatic polaritons; (ii) development of asymptotic description of non-adiabaticity in STIRAP and analytical derivation of optimal laser pulse configuration for the achievement of maximum population transfer efficiency; (iii) demonstration of counterintuitive behavior of ionization rates in asymmetric Rydberg atom collisions and existence of optimal atom pairs with respect to ionization following Rydberg state population evolution. A number of other interesting results, most notably those related to optical pumping in cold atom beams and improved scheme for optical dipole trapping, have also been obtained.

Final project report available in Martins Bruvelis LinkedIn profile Awards.