(a) Time evolution of the population of the D<sub>3/2</sub> (red dotted line), P<sub>1/2</sub> (<b>×</b> 10<sup>4</sup>, green solid line), S<sub>1/2</sub> (<b>×</b> 10<sup>2</sup>, black dashed line) and D<sub>5/2</sub> (dot-dashed blue line) states during the STIRAP process driven by the Gaussian pulses Ω<sub><em>B</em></sub>(<em>t</em>) and Ω<sub><em>R</em></sub>(<em>t</em>) (see equation (6)) R KamsapM B EkogoT Pedregosa-GutierrezJ HagelG HoussinM MorizotO KnoopM ChampenoisC 2013 <p><strong>Figure 3.</strong> (a) Time evolution of the population of the D<sub>3/2</sub> (red dotted line), P<sub>1/2</sub> (<b>×</b> 10<sup>4</sup>, green solid line), S<sub>1/2</sub> (<b>×</b> 10<sup>2</sup>, black dashed line) and D<sub>5/2</sub> (dot-dashed blue line) states during the STIRAP process driven by the Gaussian pulses Ω<sub><em>B</em></sub>(<em>t</em>) and Ω<sub><em>R</em></sub>(<em>t</em>) (see equation (<a href="http://iopscience.iop.org/0953-4075/46/14/145502/article#jpb467794eqn06" target="_blank">6</a>)). Laser parameters are τ = Δ<em>t</em> = 20  μs, Ω<sub><em>C</em></sub>/2π = 10 MHz, Δ<sub><em>C</em></sub>/2π = 100 MHz, \Omega _B^0/2\pi =400 MHz, Δ<sub><em>B</em></sub>/2π = 100 MHz, \Omega _R^0/2\pi =40 MHz, Δ<sub><em>R</em></sub> = Δ<sub><em>B</em></sub> − Δ<sub><em>C</em></sub> − α<sub><em>C</em></sub>Ω<sub><em>C</em></sub>/2. (b) Time evolution of the Rabi frequency Ω<sub><em>B</em></sub>(<em>t</em>) (blue dashed line) and Ω<sub><em>R</em></sub>(<em>t</em>) (red solid line); Ω<sub><em>C</em></sub> is constant during the STIRAP process.</p> <p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p>A stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP)-like scheme is proposed to exploit a three-photon resonance taking place in alkaline-earth-metal ions. This scheme is designed for state transfer between the two fine structure components of the metastable D-state which are two excited states that can serve as optical or THz qubit. The advantage of a coherent three-photon process compared to a two-photon STIRAP lies in the possibility of exact cancellation of the first-order Doppler shift which opens the way for an application to a sample composed of many ions. The transfer efficiency and its dependence with experimental parameters are analysed by numerical simulations. This efficiency is shown to reach a fidelity as high as (1–8 <b>×</b> 10<sup>−5</sup>) with realistic parameters. The scheme is also extended to the synthesis of a linear combination of three stable or metastable states.</p>