Pulse shaping

Optics

Physics

Sociology

Cell

Demography

Pulse duration

Ultrashort pulse

Atomic physics

Chemistry

Pure mathematics

Polarity (international relations)

Oscillation (cell signaling)

Pulse (music)

Population

Mathematics

Laser

Biochemistry

Electric field

Quantum mechanics

Coherent control

Quantum

Detector

Field (mathematics)

Optics Express

The most typical way to optically control population of atomic and molecular systems is to illuminate them with radiation, resonant to the relevant transitions. Here we consider a possibility to control populations with the subcycle and even unipolar pulses, containing less than one oscillation of electric field. Despite the spectrum of such pulses covers several levels at once, we show that it is possible to selectively excite the levels of our choice by varying the driving pulse shape, duration or time delay between consecutive pulses. The pulses which are not unipolar, but have a peak of electric field of one polarity much higher (and shorter) than of the opposite one, are also capable for such control.

Selective ultrafast control of multi-level quantum systems by subcycle and unipolar pulses