Efficient reflection via four-wave mixing in a Doppler-free electromagnetically-induced-transparency gas system

We experimentally demonstrate the high-efficiency reflection of a probe field in Λ-type three-level atoms of cesium vapor driven by two counterpropagating coupling fields. More than 60% of reflection efficiency is observed at the phase-matching angle. The underlying mechanism theoretically is investigated as the four-wave mixing is enhanced by the electromagnetically-induced transparency. Both of the two Doppler-free two-photon resonances (one for the probe and co-propagating fields, the other for the reflected and the counterpropagation fields) play an important role in satisfying the phase matching in the reflection direction. The phase compensation due to the anomalous dispersion and the decrease of effective absorption length in the atomic system allow the efficient reflection to be observed in a wide range of incident angles of the probe field and detunings of the coupling field.