Role of electromagnetically induced transparency in resonant four-wave-mixing schemes

The effect of electromagnetically induced transparency in resonant four-wave-mixing schemes is investigated in an analysis that goes beyond perturbation theory in the coherent driving field. In addition we examine the case where the two-photon pump field is sufficiently strong to necessitate a nonperturbative treatment. This allows us to examine the cases where either one or both of the driving fields are strong. Phase matching is included in a plane-wave propagation treatment that matches the situation most likely to be encountered in actual experiments. The calculations are in part intended to model real experimental situations and thus incorporate driving and pump-field linewidths via the phase-diffusion model and Doppler broadening. With a strong pump-field laser, large enhancements in the efficiency of light generation occur at frequencies corresponding to the Autler-Townes satellites induced by the strong driving field. In this situation gain and high four-wave-mixing efficiency are simultaneously present, resulting in the production of a large intensity of coherent radiation.