Coherent Pulse Propagation on a Q-branch Transition in Atomic Iodine Vapour

Abstract

Self-induced transparency (SIT) has been observed on a Q(J)-branch transition (J=2) for the first time. Coherent field-matter interaction was studied using a photodissociation atomic iodine laser system operating on the ²P_1/2 F=2 →²P_3/2 F′=2 magnetic dipole hyperfine transition and a self-resonant iodine vapour. With linearly polarized radiation the propagation phenomena are characterized by high transparency and large time delay at pulse areas θ > π and small-pulse splitting at θ ≃ π. With circularly polarized radiation, non-degenerate SIT is observed. The results can be explained by the dynamic effects of the different dipole moments involved in the process.