Directional infrared emission resulting from cascade population inversion and four-wave mixing in Rb vapor

Directional infrared emission at 1.37 and 5.23 μm is generated in Rb vapors that are stepwise excited by low-power cw resonant light. The radiation at 5.23 μm originating from amplified spontaneous emission on the 5D(5/2)→6P(3/2) transition and wave mixing consists of forward- and backward-directed components with distinctive spectral and spatial properties. Diffraction-limited light at 1.37 μm generated in the copropagating direction only is a product of parametric wave mixing around the 5P(3/2)→5D(5/2)→6P(3/2)→6S(1/2)→5P(3/2) transition loop. This highly nondegenerate mixing process involves one externally applied and two internally generated optical fields. Similarities between wave mixing generated blue and 1.37 μm light are demonstrated.