Population transfer in a nonlinear three-level Λ-system by Stark - chirped rapid adiabatic passage

Abstract

We propose the use of the Stark-chirped rapid adiabatic passage (SCRAP) method to induce a complete population transfer in a nonlinear three-level Λ-type system (nl-SCRAP). We also use the nl-SCRAP method for creating stable diatomic ground molecular Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) from atomic BECs. In this three-laser technique the pump and Stokes pulses are slightly detuned from transition frequencies, and a third strong hyperbolic-tangent laser pulse induces dynamic Stark shifts of the relevant transitions and compensates for third-order nonlinearities. If the timing of the three pulses is appropriately chosen, the nonlinear quantum system is prepared to almost complete population inversion between the two lower states in the Λ-like scheme. The paper shows that the efficiency of the nl-SCRAP is higher than the nonlinear stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (nl-STIRAP) technique, and this method can be used in one-photon as well as multi-photon transitions. The transfer process is robust concerning fluctuations of experimental parameters, such as peak Rabi frequencies, the time delay between pulses, and static detunings.