Phase Control of Group Velocity in a Doppler-Broadened Λ-Type Three-Level System

We theoretically investigate the phase control role on the group velocity of a weak probe field in a Doppler-broadened Λ-type three-level atomic system with the spontaneously generated coherence effect enhanced by an incoherence pump. We find that the absorption-dispersion of the probe field behaves phase and Doppler broadening-dependent phenomena, and testify that the quite large group index can be realized. The group velocity of the probe field can be switched from subluminal to superluminal or vice versa by modulating the relative phase of the two applied light fields. In contrast to the counterpropagating setting, the copropagating case is more suitable for the purpose considered in this paper due to the effectiveness of Doppler-free.