title: Birefringence in electromagnetically induced transparency.
abstract: (4)He 2 (3)S(1) --> 2 (3)P transitions at 1083 nm were laser probed in the presence of radiation that coupled the 2 (3)P level with the 3 (3)S(1) level in a ladder scheme. The metastable helium that was used was produced in a rf discharge. Significant atomic birefringence was detected, in addition to complete electromagnetically induced transparency. A simple theoretical model explains the experimental results.
authors.affiliation: European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy, Largo E. Fermi 2, Firenze, Italy.
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Pavone
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.forename: F S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Cataliotti
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Hänsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inguscio