We propose a scheme to generate double electromagnetically induced transparency and optimal cross-phase modulation for two slow, copropagating pulses with matched group velocities in a single species of atom, namely ${}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$. A single pump laser is employed and a homogeneous magnetic field is utilized to avoid cancellation effects through the nonlinear Zeeman effect. We suggest a feasible preparational procedure for the atomic initial state to achieve matched group velocities for both signal fields.

• Received 26 January 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.063901