Role of incoherent pumping scheme on gain without population inversion in four-level systems

Abstract

We have studied gain without population inversion in two similar four-level systems by employing semiclassical density-matrix formalism. If the incoherent pumping process is not taken into account, both systems can be visualized as an ideal V-type system. Along with the application of strong pump and weak probe fields, an incoherent pump field is added to each of the systems in a different configuration. It has been shown that the different mechanisms of application of an incoherent pump to the system can appreciably change the population difference between the energy levels of the strongly driven transition and results in the evolution of inversionless gain either at the line center or at the sidebands on probe detuning. The effect of inhomogeneous broadening on the probe gain has also been studied.