Mapping of the optical frequency comb to the atom-velocity comb

Abstract

A mode-locked femtosecond laser is used to physically map the laser frequency comb into the velocity comb of the excited Rb atoms at room temperature. Upon resonant excitation by discrete optical frequencies the velocity distribution of the excited Rb atoms shows comblike structure. Simultaneously, velocity-selective population transfer occurs between ground-state hyperfine levels. Both facts are observed by modified direct frequency comb spectroscopy and verified by a detailed density matrix treatment of the multilevel system in resonant field.