Self-Induced Transparency in the Broadline and Narrowline Limits, and Applications

Abstract

Recent experimental verification of self-induced transparency theory in the broadline (T ^*₂ <τ_p<T ^′₂ ,T₁) and narrowline (τ_p<T ^*₂ ≲T ^′₂ , T₁) is described for a Hg laser coincident with a Rb⁸⁷ D-line absorption. Both computer and experimental results show that broadline and narrowline cases give quite similar pulse delays, pulse breakup, etc., if an effective absorption coefficient is used to characterize the narrowline absorber. Effects of incoherent damping (T ^′₂ ,T₁) are discussed for both cases in terms of a critical absorption length. Applications and extensions of self-induced transparency to pulse shaping of picosecond pulses are discussed using computer simulations.