Enhancement of Goos–Hänchen shift due to a Rydberg state

Abstract

This paper hints at the Goos-Hänchen shift properties of a cavity containing an ensemble of atoms using a four-level atomic system involving a Rydberg state. By means of the stationary phase theory and density matrix formalism in quantum optics, we study theoretically the Goos-Hänchen shifts in both reflected and transmitted light beams. It is realized that as a result of the interaction between Rydberg and excited states in such a four-level atom-light coupling scheme the maximum positive and negative Goos-Hänchen shifts can be obtained in reflected and transmitted light beams owning to the effect of the Rydberg electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) or Rydberg electromagnetically induced absorption. In particular, when the switching field is absent and the Rydberg EIT is dominant in the medium, a giant Goos-Hänchen shift can be achieved for both reflected and transmitted light beams.