Efficient adiabatic population transfer by two-photon excitation assisted by a laser-induced Stark shift

Abstract

We demonstrate and analyze a novel scheme for complete transfer of atomic or molecular population between two bound states, by means of Stark-chirped rapid adiabatic passage (SCRAP). In this two-laser technique a delayed-pulse laser-induced Stark shift sweeps the transition frequency between two coupled states twice through resonance with the frequency of the population-transferring coupling laser. The delay of the Stark-shifting pulse with respect to the pulse of the coupling-laser Rabi frequency guarantees adiabatic passage of population at one of the two resonances while the evolution is diabatic at the other. The SCRAP method can give a population-transfer efficiency approaching unity. We discuss the general requirements on the intensity and timing of the pulses that produce the Rabi frequency and, independently, the Stark shift. We particularly stress extension to a double-SCRAP technique, a coherent variant of stimulated emission pumping in the limit of strong saturation. We demonstrate the success of the SCRAP method with experiments in metastable helium, where a two-photon transition provides the Rabi frequency.