Population transfer in a nonlinear three-level Λ-system by Stark-shift-chirped rapid adiabatic passage

We propose the use of Stark chirped rapid-adiabatic-passage (SCRAP) method to induce a complete population transfer in a nonlinear three-level Λ-type system (nl-SCRAP). We also use the nl-SCRAP method for creating stable diatomic ground molecular Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) from atomic BECs. In this three-laser technique the pump and Stokes pulses are slightly detuned from transition frequencies, and a third strong hyperbolic-tangent laser pulse induces dynamic Stark shifts of the relevant transitions and compensates third order nonlinearities. If the timing of the three pulses is appropriately chosen, the nonlinear quantum system is prepared to almost complete population inversion between the two lower states in the Λ-like scheme. The paper shows that the efficiency of the nl-SCRAP is higher than the nonlinear stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (nl-STIRAP) technique, and this method can be used in one-photon as well as multi-photon transitions. The transfer process is robust concerning fluctuations of experimental parameters, such as peak Rabi frequencies, the time delay between pulses, and static detunings.