Methods of generating a sharp absorption line within an inhomogeneously bro
adened line are discussed. A hole-burning technique using transients is pre
ferred. This method which employs two opposite phased pulses, one long and
one short is demonstrated and a 50 kHz wide absorption feature is isolated
within an optical transition of Eu3+ in Y2SiO5. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B
.V. All rights reserved.