Atom manipulation based on delayed laser pulses in three- and four-level systems: Light shifts and transfer efficiencies

Abstract

Atomic mirrors and beam splitters based on adiabatic following by delayed laser pulses in a three-level Raman configuration are analyzed. We show that in a pure three-level system of two ground states and one excited state, laser pulses tuned precisely on resonance with the excited state do not produce any accumulated phase shifts due to ac Stark shifts even if the process is nonadiabatic. A numerical simulation suggests that multiple delayed laser pulses are attractive for precision interferometry since high transfer efficiencies (up to 98.7% per pulse for the cesium D1 line) and low ac Stark shifts are expected. A possible application to optical two-photon spectroscopy for an optical clock is discussed.