Four-level atomic interferometer driven by shaped ultrafast laser pulses

We analyze the behavior of a four-state, two-path atomic interferometer driven by shaped ultrafast laser pulses. The laser pulses interact with atomic rubidium, exciting the atoms to the 5D state via two intermediate resonances (the 5P1/2 and 5P3/2). The relative phase of the two paths can be modified by applying a varying spectral phase at the wavelength corresponding to one of the resonant transitions for each pathway. We trace out the behavior of the system from the simplest case of weak-field excitation with resonant fields to strong-field excitation with a broadband source. Our measurements and analysis reveal that while interference is observed for all field strengths and spectral widths, the character of the interference changes substantially.