Dynamics of a Rabi oscillation under a pulsed perturbation
Jai Min Choi, Gee-Na Kim, and D. Cho

We study how a Rabi oscillation is affected by a periodic pulsed perturbation. Unlike a continuous perturbation, which simply shifts the resonance frequency, a pulsed perturbation splits the Rabi resonance into two lines separated by the pulse repetition rate. When the perturbation integrated over one pulse is equal to $\pi$, the resonance splits into two symmetrically placed lines at $\pm$ half the pulse repetition rate. When it is $2\pi$, the Rabi oscillation is unaffected by the perturbation. We demonstrate these behaviors using the ground hyperfine transition of cesium atoms in a magneto-optical trap. The pulsed perturbation is introduced by a periodic magnetic field pulse. The $2 \pi$ case is compared with the self-induced transparency and its implication to optical frequency metrology using a pulsed optical trap is discussed.

© 2008 The American Physical Society.