Laser-induced breakdown of the magnetic-field-reversal symmetry in the propagation of unpolarized light

Abstract

We show how a medium, under the influence of a coherent control field that is resonant or close to resonance to an appropriate atomic transition, can lead to very strong asymmetries in the propagation of unpolarized light when the direction of the magnetic field is reversed. We show how electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) can be used in atomic vapor to mimic this magnetochiral effect that occurs in natural systems. EIT can produce much larger asymmetry than the well-known magnetochiral effect as we use the dipole-allowed transitions here. Using density-matrix calculations we present results for the breakdown of the magnetic-field-reversal symmetry for two different atomic configurations.