DYNAMICAL SUPPRESSION OF THE AUTLER-TOWNES DOUBLET IN THE PRESENCE OFA CAVITY

We study the Autler-Townes absorption spectrum of the upper and interm ediate levels of a three-level cascade atom in which the intermediate and ground levels are strongly driven by a laser field as well as weak ly coupled by a cavity mode [Phys. Rev. 100, 703 (1955)]. Surprisingly , one of the Autler-Townes peaks may be greatly suppressed or enhanced by tuning the cavity resonant frequency. The larger the Rabi frequenc y, the more pronounced the cavity-induced suppression or enhancement. The Autler-Townes spectrum carries full information on the cavity-indu ced modification of the strongly driven levels. A physical interpretat ion is presented in the dressed-state basis.