DARK-STATE-BASED 3-ELEMENT VECTOR MODEL FOR THE STIMULATED RAMAN INTERACTION

In this paper we develop a three-element vector model to describe the stimulated Raman interaction in a Lambda system. This model is valid o ver the range of interaction energies for which the excited state foll ows the ground states adiabatically. We use the model to present simpl e physical interpretations of the: generation of Raman-Ramsey fringes in a separated field excitation, the ac Stark shift in the Raman clock . the ultrahigh-resolution mapping of microwave phase using Raman prob es, and the coherent transfer of population by adiabatic passage for a tomic beam splitters. The expressions for observables are derived by i nspection and agree quantitatively with published experimental results .