Abstract

Atomic coherence and interference of quantum pathways provide with the means to manipulate by the spectral features of absorption-gain and refractive indexes as well as by nonlinear-optical response of medium. These open new opportunities in optical physics. Theory and first experimental evidence of laser-induced continuum structure (LICS) were reported in [1]. References on further theoretical and experimental studies can be found in [2]. In this paper we develop the theory of LICS on the case of two strong fields coupled to the bound-free transitions (Fig.1).

© 1996 IEEE