Gain assisted multiple surperluminal regions via a Kerr nonlinearity in a double lambda-type atomic configuration

A four level double lambda-type atomic configuration is extended to polychromatic pump fields driven from the ground to the same excited hyperfine sublevel. Multiple superluminal regions are observed in the gain peak regions and between the two pairs of gain peak regions. Furthermore, the effect of cross Kerr nonlinearity is introduced in the system by applying an additional driving field. Large enhancement in the superluminality is observed as compared to the previously observed superluminality without the Kerr nonlinearity. The results clearly show a small negative group velocity of − 0.72 m s⁻¹ with a negative time delay of −42.2 ms in the presence of the Kerr field. In this connection, useful theoretical techniques are presented for the enhancement of slow and fast light propagation. This generalized model is adjustable with the current applied technologies of cloaking devices and spacial mode images. (paper)