Phase-dependent coherent population trapping and optical switching

Abstract

We propose a scheme for achieving phase-dependent coherent population trapping, showing that both the dark state of the atoms and light propagation dynamics depend on the relative phase of the fields. The atomic coherence prepared via adiabatic process plays a key role in the interaction of light with matter. And an optical switching based on the phase-controlled quantum interference is implemented, which may have potential application in high-speed optical communications and quantum information systems.