Manipulation of dark states and control of coherent processes with spectrally broad light

Abstract

The formation of dark states under an interaction of degenerate atomic states with incoherent broadband radiation (white light) is discussed. A simple coupling scheme in a three level $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ system, which allows both qualitative and quantitative analysis, is discussed. We found a stationary solution of the optical Bloch equations in a broad excitation line approximation that describes the dynamics of the atom-white light interaction and demonstrated its identity to a conventional dark state created with coherent laser fields. We than examine the efficiency of the population transfer induced by broadband radiation in a model $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ system and revealed that high efficiency (attaining 100%) of stimulated Raman adiabatic passagelike processes can be achieved with certain temporal control of light polarization. The corresponding criterion of adiabaticity was formulated and justified by means of numerical simulations.