Controllable two- and three-dimensional atom localization via spontaneously generated coherence

Abstract

A scheme for two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) atom localization in a four-level N-type atomic system is proposed. The scheme is based on the probe absorption measurement when the atom passes through the orthogonal standing-wave fields. Using the electromagnetically induced transparency, we prove that the probe field absorption is spatially localized in sub-wavelength domain. We also show that the spatial resolution of 2D and 3D atom localization strongly depends on the probe field detuning, the quantum interference parameters induced by spontaneous emission, and the relative phase between the driving fields.