Pulse retrieval and soliton formation in a non-standard scheme for dynamic electromagnetically induced transparency

Abstract

We examine in detail an alternative method of retrieving the information written into an atomic ensemble of three-level atoms using electromagnetically induced transparency. We find that the behavior of the retrieved pulse is strongly influenced by the relative collective atom-light coupling strengths of the two relevant transitions. When the collective atom-light coupling strength for the retrieval beam is the stronger of the two transitions, regeneration of the stored pulse is possible. Otherwise, we show the retrieval process can lead to creation of soliton-like pulses.