Matched slow pulses using double electromagnetically induced transparency

We implement double electromagnetically induced transparency (DEIT) in rubidium vapor using a tripod-shaped energy-level scheme consisting of hyperfine magnetic sublevels of the 5S(1/2)-> 5P(1/2) transition. We show experimentally that through the use of DEIT one can control the contrast of transparency windows as well as group velocities of the two signal fields. In particular, the group velocities can be equalized, which holds promise to greatly enhance nonlinear optical interaction between these fields. (C) 2008 Optical Society of America