Phase-sensitive microwave optical double resonance in an N system

Abstract

An experimental investigation of a Microwave Optical Double Resonance (MODR) phenomenon is carried out in a four level N system of 85Rb atoms, at room temperature. This N system consists of a closed three level Λ subsystem irradiated with two optical fields and one microwave field. The MODR response is investigated in a separate probe field which drives a resonant transition from one of the ground states of the Λ system to a fourth level. We find that, under two-photon resonance condition for the optical fields, the MODR becomes a function of the relative phase between the beat frequency envelop of the optical fields and the microwave field. The variation in MODR is shown to be correlated with the phase-sensitive variation of the EIT phenomenon seen in such microwave-connected closed Λ systems. We envisage that this phase-sensitive variation in the MODR, can be utilized for a phase-sensitive manipulation of non-linear optical phenomena in N systems.