"Controlled population transfer to coherent superpositions of degenerate states"
Dr. Klaas Bergmann
Kaiserslautern, Germany
Wednesday, March 2, 2005 -11 AM - 12:00 Noon in 375 LeConte Hall
Abstract
Quantum control of non-degenerate levels is meanwhile a routine process with
the use of fs-laser pulses, leading to wave-packed formation. The controlled preparation
and full characterization of superpositions of degenerate states requires a very
different approach. It is of significant interest to quantum information and
coherent control of processes. Such control can be implemented with cw-lasers.
The first part of the lecture will address the basics of the process, namely adiabatic
passage by delayed pulses (STIRAP). The main topic will be the discussion of schemes
for the preparation and complete characterization of superposition state of
degenerate levels. We deal with a stream of identically prepared systems, rather than
single systems, in a beam of Neon atoms in their metastable 3-P_2 state. A first
application of the newly developed tools, namely "phase-control by frequency
control", will also be discussed.
K. Bergmann, H. Theuer, and B.W. Shore: Coherent Population Transfer
Among Quantum States of Atoms and Molecules. Review of Modern Physics 70, 1003-1026 (1988)
N.V. Vitanov, M. Fleischhauer, B.W. Shore and K. Bergmann. Coherent
Manipulation of Atoms and Molecules by Sequential Pulses. in: Advances of Atomic, Molecular,
and Optical Physics, 46: 55-190 (2001).
F. Vewinger, M. Heinz, R. G. Fernandez, N.V. Vitanov, and K. Bergmann.
Creation and Measurement of a Coherent Superposition of Quantum States.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 91: 213001 (1-4) (2003)
