We design, by invariant-based inverse engineering, resonant laser pulses to perform fast population transfers in three-level systems. The laser intensities to improve the fidelity or to achieve a perfect transfer are examined for different protocols. They can be reduced by populating the intermediate state and by multimode driving.

• Received 12 July 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.86.033405