Electromagnetically induced left handedness in optically excited four-level atomic media.

We show that left-handed properties can be electromagnetically induced in a general four-level atomic medium for a finite spectral range. We use an electric (magnetic) atomic transition as an electric (magnetic) resonator to modify the permittivity (permeability), both at the same frequency. The implementation of the four-level model is carried out in atomic hydrogen and neon. In each case the existence of left-handed properties is predicted inside an experimentally reachable domain of parameters.