Electromagnetically induced transparency and retrieval of light pulses in a {lambda}-type and a V-type level scheme in Pr{sup 3+}:Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5}

Abstract

We examine electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), the optical preparation of persistent nuclear spin coherences and the retrieval of light pulses both in a {lambda}-type and a V-type coupling scheme in a Pr{sup 3+}:Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5} crystal, cooled to cryogenic temperatures. The medium is prepared by optical pumping and spectral hole burning, creating a spectrally isolated {lambda}-type and a V-type system within the inhomogeneous bandwidth of the {sup 3}H{sub 4} {r_reversible} {sup 1}D{sub 2} transition of the Pr{sup 3+} ions. By EIT, in the {lambda}-type scheme we drive a nuclear spin coherence between the ground-state hyperfine levels, while in the V-type scheme we drive a coherence between the excited-state hyperfine levels. We observe the cancellation of absorption due to EIT and the retrieval of light pulses in both level schemes. This also permits the determination of dephasing times of the nuclear spin coherence, either in the ground state or the optically excited state.