Abstract

Polarization and Rayleigh type optical mixing spectra of a homogeneously and inhomogeneously broadened two-level system are calculated. We show that the nonlinear signal has contributions from the population pulsation and saturation effect. In the homogeneous system these effects can induce an asymmetric spectrum when the probe frequency is different from the resonant value. In the inhomogeneous system the spectral response is always symmetric independent of the probe frequency value. Line saturation and dynamic stark splitting are substantially reduced in the inhomogeneous case. The mentioned differences can be used to identify the type of broadening of a given spectral line.

© 1989 Optical Society of America