Four-Wave Mixing in Ultracold Atoms using Intermediate Rydberg States

Ultracold Rb atoms were used to demonstrate non-degenerate four-wave mixing through a Rydberg state. Continuous 5S-5P-nD two-photon excitation to the Rydberg state was combined with an nD-6P tuned laser in a phase matched geometry. The angular dependence, spatial profile, and dependence on detuning were investigated, showing good agreement with theory. Under optimum conditions 50 percent of the radiation was emitted into the phase-matched direction.