Seeded parametric four-wave mixing for sensitive detection of atoms and molecules

Summary form only given.A simple variant of parametric four-wave mixing (PFWM), which we call seeded parametric four-wave mixing (SPFWM), has been developed. This is a near-resonant nondegenerate four-wave mixing technique that offers distinct advantages over similar techniques as it only requires a single beam and is automatically phase matched. Furthermore, the signal is generated at a different wavelength to, but travels collinear with, the pump beam enabling efficient signal retrieval.