Evidence of lasing without inversion in a hot rubidium vapor under electromagnetically-induced-transparency conditions

Haibin Wu, Min Xiao, J. Gea-Banacloche

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Abstract

We report a likely observation of cw lasing without inversion in a gas of hot rubidium atoms in an optical cavity under conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The medium is pumped coherently and resonantly by a single "coupling" beam which also produces EIT in the lasing transition. The steady-state intensity exhibits thresholds as a function of the atomic density and the strength of the coupling beam. A theoretical model for an effective three-level lambda system indicates that gain without inversion is possible in this system if the two ground states are coupled by depolarizing collisions, and if the decay branching ratios meet certain conditions.

Original languageEnglish
Article number041802
JournalPhysical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume78
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 23 Oct 2008
Externally publishedYes

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