Nonlinear population and zeeman coherence of atomic magnetic sublevels in four-wave scattering of polarized light

The influence of the coherence between atomic magnetic sublevels on nondegenerate four-wave parametric light scattering is theoretically studied taking into account the multiplet structure of the atomic levels. The theory is developed using the irreducible tensor-operator representation. This provides the possibility of taking into account the relaxation, which is due not only to nonuniform sublevel population, but to coherence between the sublevels as well. A detailed analysis of the parametric wave-coupling coefficient reveals three physical mechanisms: population, cross population, and Zeeman coherence. The results obtained can be used, in particular, in ultrahigh-resolution spectroscopy to determine the relaxation parameters of polarization moments for the dipole-forbidden atomic transitions. 9 refs., 1 fig.