Linear and nonlinear optical torque in multi-level atomic systems driven by counter-rotating orbital angular momentum fields

Abstract

We investigate the generation of optical torque in coherently prepared multi-level atomic media driven by a vector vortex beam composed of two counter-rotating components carrying opposite orbital angular momenta, $+l\hbar$ and $-l\hbar$. We consider a three-level $Λ$ configuration and a four-level tripod configuration. Using a perturbative steady-state solution of the optical Bloch equations, we obtain analytical expressions for both linear and nonlinear contributions to the optical torque. The results show that the torque is strongly controlled by atomic coherence, including the initial population imbalance and the relative phase between the vortex components. Nonvanishing torque can arise even when the two components have equal amplitudes, due to coherence-induced asymmetry in the atomic response. In the tripod configuration, the presence of a strong control field leads to electromagnetically induced transparency, which suppresses the torque near resonance and shifts the dominant response to finite detunings. These results establish a route for controlling light-induced rotational dynamics in atomic media using vector vortex fields, with potential applications in coherent optical manipulation and angular-momentum-based control in quantum systems.