All-optical shaping of a three-dimensional self-induced transparency soliton in 87Rb vapors

Subject of study. Three-dimensional solitons of the theory of self-induced transparency of laser pulses with a converging cylindrical wavefront and different transverse spatial profiles of the pulse field in 87Rb vapor (resonant transition D2, wavelength 780.24 nm) are studied. Aim of study. The aim is the experimental study of three-dimensional solitons of self-induced transparency of laser pulses for the development of new device prototypes for resonant quantum microwave photonics using laser signal processing methods in the microwave region of the spectrum. Method. In the caustic of a focused beam of a laser pump pulse with a cylindrical wavefront, a transverse spatial profile of the electric field strength of a special shape is created. The computer-generated holograms developed by us can be used to create an arbitrary profile. Main results. The properties of a three-dimensional self-induced transparency soliton are studied for various detuning frequencies of the input pulse field with respect to atomic resonance. The maximum laser pulse power is 8.5 mW, the pulse duration is 4–5 ns, and the time resolution of the recording system is 27 ps. It is shown that the all-optical control of the carrier frequency of the input pulse determines the properties of the output pulse: compression of the pulse duration (generation of a strobe pulse), the value of the soliton delay in time, and the time shift of the carrier frequency of the soliton. Practical significance. The results obtained in this study of the properties of three-dimensional self-induced transparency solitons will serve as the basis for the development of prototypes of signal processing devices using low-power laser diodes.