Electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption cross-over with a four-level Rydberg system

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and absorption (EIA) are quantum coherence phenomena which result due to interference of excitation pathways. Since the first realization of EIT in 1991 and EIA in 1998, mechanisms behind these remarkable effects have been studied extensively, therefore both are relatively easily achievable in controlled environments. Combining EIT and EIA with Rydberg atoms have provided utility in various research fields such as interacting many body systems, quantum optics and quantum information science. We propose an analysis of Rydberg-EIT and Rydberg-EIA effects in cold Cs and Rb atomic ensembles in a four-level ladder type scheme with self-consistent mean field approach. Our results are consistent with experimental realizations and provide a many-body method to simulate EIT-EIA cross-over.