Nonlinear absorption in interacting Rydberg electromagnetically-induced-transparency spectra on two-photon resonance
Abstract
We experimentally investigate the nonlinear transmission spectrum of coherent light fields propagating through a Rydberg EIT medium with strong atomic interactions. In contrast to previous investigations, which have largely focused on resonant control fields, we explore here the full two-dimensional spectral response of the Rydberg gas. Our measurements confirm previously observed spectral features for a vanishing control-field detuning, but also reveal significant differences on two-photon resonance. In particular, we find qualitative deficiencies of mean-field models and rate-equation simulations as well as a third-order nonlinear susceptibility that accounts for pair-wise interaction effects at low probe-field intensities in describing the nonlinear probe-field response under EIT conditions. Our results suggest that a more complete understanding of Rydberg-EIT and emerging photon interactions requires to go beyond existing simplified models as well as few-photon theories.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2102.11654,
title = {Nonlinear absorption in interacting Rydberg electromagnetically-induced-transparency spectra on two-photon resonance},
author = {Annika Tebben and Clément Hainaut and Andre Salzinger and Sebastian Geier and Titus Franz and Thomas Pohl and Martin Gärttner and Gerhard Zürn and Matthias Weidemüller},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2102.11654},
year = {2021}
}