Optically driven atomic coherences in a Pr3+:Y2SiO5 crystal

We report on the experimental implementation of stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP), electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and the retrieval of light pulses in a Pr3+:Y2SiO5crystal. We apply coherent, adiabatic processes to control population dynamics and atomic coherences in selected hyperfine levels of the praseodymium dopants in the crystal. Our data demonstrate efficient adiabatic population transfer by conventional STIRAP as well as by an alternative transfer process, i.e. b  -STIRAP. Moreover, we investigate dark resonances, driven by EIT in a Λ-type and in a V-type level scheme. We apply EIT to create atomic coherences in Pr3+:Y2SiO5. The persistent coherence is monitored by delayed retrieval of light pulses from the medium.