Coherent control of the Goos-Hänchen shift in Otto structure

Abstract

We investigate controlling the lateral Goos-Hänchen (GH) shift for a TM-polarized field reflected from Otto structure containing four level N-type atomic medium. The N-type atomic configuration can be formed by coupling the standard three-level $Λ$ system to an additional upper energy level through a coherent driving field. The medium can then be switched from transparent to absorptive under the effect of the driving field. In the Otto structure, an air gap typically separates a dielectric prism from a metal film. We show that the sign and magnitude of the GH shift can be highly controlled when the air gap is replaced by the coherent atomic medium. This can be achieved by adjusting the strength of the applied fields to the atomic medium, while the geometrical characteristics of the proposed structure are unchanged.