An Efficient Algorithm for the Study of Nonlinear Resonant Propagation of Two Concomitant Optical Pulses Interacting with a Three-Level Atomic System

Abstract

For the modeling of longitudinal [1] and transverse [2,3] reshaping associated with the concomitant propagation of two short optical pulses in a gas of homogeneously broadened three-level-atoms, the semi-classical formalism is adopted as well as the slowly-varying-envelope approximation. The field is described by the two scalar wave equations, whereas the material is described by a generalization of the Bloch equations. The two laser beams are explicitly cross-coupled through the dynamic Bloch equations that describe the inertial xresponse of the resonant medium. Using self-consistent methods developed in fluid dynamics [4,5], an accurate program that is capable of being physically meaningful at every computational step has been constructed. The prime goals of this study are to achieve an understanding of this fundamental double resonance interaction, assess the feasibility of such an experimental situation, relate it to the Self-Induced-Transparency problem, and determine numerically the dependence of the percentage transmission on the pulse and medium parameters.