Quantum control of multi-wave mixing (Q2847894)

This book is an extension of a series of two monographs previously published by the same authors, ``Multi-Wave Mixing Processes'' (2009), and ``Coherent Control of Four-Wave Mixing'' (2011). The book briefly summarizes results obtained by research groups led by the authors, and also includes related results published by other groups. Both theoretical and experimental results are included on topics covered by the book. The book is intended to be accessible to readers at various levels, starting from senior undergraduate students. The general topic of the book is coherent interaction of light with hot multi-level atomic media. Three more particular themes are considered in detail: chapters 2-5 address coherent interference of four-wave mixing (FWM) processes in the atomic medium, controlled by means of the electromagnetically-induced transparency; chapter 6 address non-classical properties of light involved in the FWM processes, which are studied in terms of correlators and anticorrelators of the respective electromagnetic fields; and, finally, chapters 7 and 8 address the interplay of basic features of the FWM processes in the frequency and spatial domains. The third topic includes the formation of solitons and vortices in settings which includes those supported by electromagnetically-induced lattices. In the framework of the last topic, potential applications of the spatial-domain configurations to basic all-optical operations, such as spatial routing, switching, and demultiplexing, are considered too.