Effects of laser linewidth on an effective method for excitation in three-level atomic systems by two optimally detuned counterpropagating pulsed lasers

Abstract

Population transfer in three-level atomic systems with high efficiency and selectivity is desirable for practical applications in laser spectroscopy, trace analysis, and isotope separation. The effective excitation method for achieving this population transfer in three-level atomic systems using coherent two-photon excitation with two optimally detuned counterpropagating pulsed lasers, initially investigated analytically assuming monochromatic lasers and Doppler-free systems, is studied numerically by solving the density matrix equations incorporating finite laser linewidth and effective Doppler width. A three-level Yb system is chosen for illustration of numerical results. The effects of laser linewidth and effective Doppler width on the values of optimal detunings and maximum third-level population are discussed.