Observation of polarization-controlled spatial splitting of four-wave mixing in a three-level atomic system

We report experimental observations of intensity modulation and spatial splitting of four-wave mixing (FWM) signal beams which can be effectively controlled by the polarization states of the pumping laser beams. Due to the periodic change of the pumping beam's polarization states, the intensity of the FWM beam also evolves periodically. The periodic spatial splitting phenomenon has been observed in both x- and y-directions. The cases with/without the dressing beams are compared. Such studies can be very useful in better understanding the formation of spatial solitons and for signal processing applications, such as spatial beam splitter, routing, and switching.