ADIABATIC TRANSFER IN J-]J AND J-]J-1 TRANSITIONS

Coherent transfer in multilevel systems by adiabatic passage through a trapped state has experimentally shown very different efficiencies fo r the two hyperfine components F = 4 --> F' = 4 and F = 4 --> F' = 3 o f the cesium D-2 line. If an efficiency up to 55 % is observed for m(p ) = 4 --> m(p) = - 4 population transfer with the F = 4 --> F' = 4 com ponent, it is never better than 25 % for the F = 4 --> F' = 3 one. We report here a theoretical interpretation of these experimental results . We show in particular that the F = 4 --> F' = 3 transition is much m ore sensitive to any diffused light, which can destroy totally the tra pped state.