1,558 research outputs found
Efficient photon counting and single-photon generation using resonant nonlinear optics
The behavior of an atomic double lambda system in the presence of a strong
off-resonant classical field and a few-photon resonant quantum field is
examined. It is shown that the system possesses properties that allow a
single-photon state to be distilled from a multi-photon input wave packet. In
addition, the system is also capable of functioning as an efficient
photodetector discriminating between one- and two-photon wave packets with
arbitrarily high efficiency.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Quantum theory of resonantly enhanced four-wave mixing: mean-field and exact numerical solutions
We present a full quantum analysis of resonant forward four-wave mixing based
on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). In particular, we study the
regime of efficient nonlinear conversion with low-intensity fields that has
been predicted from a semiclassical analysis. We derive an effective nonlinear
interaction Hamiltonian in the adiabatic limit. In contrast to conventional
nonlinear optics this Hamiltonian does not have a power expansion in the fields
and the conversion length increases with the input power. We analyze the
stationary wave-mixing process in the forward scattering configuration using an
exact numerical analysis for up to input photons and compare the results
with a mean-field approach. Due to quantum effects, complete conversion from
the two pump fields into the signal and idler modes is achieved only
asymptotically for large coherent pump intensities or for pump fields in
few-photon Fock states. The signal and idler fields are perfectly quantum
correlated which has potential applications in quantum communication schemes.
We also discuss the implementation of a single-photon phase gate for continuous
quantum computation.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figure
Efficient Raman Sideband Generation in a Coherent Atomic Medium
We demonstrate the efficient generation of Raman sidebands in a medium
coherently prepared in a dark state by continuous-wave low-intensity laser
radiation. Our experiment is performed in sodium vapor excited in
configuration on the D line by two laser fields of resonant frequencies
and , and probed by a third field .
First-order sidebands for frequencies , and up to the
third-order sidebands for frequency are observed. The generation
starts at a power as low as 10 microwatt for each input field. Dependencies of
the intensities of both input and generated waves on the frequency difference
(), on the frequency and on the optical
density are investigated.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
Low-light-level nonlinear optics with slow light
Electromagnetically induced transparency in an optically thick, cold medium
creates a unique system where pulse-propagation velocities may be orders of
magnitude less than and optical nonlinearities become exceedingly large. As
a result, nonlinear processes may be efficient at low-light levels. Using an
atomic system with three, independent channels, we demonstrate a quantum
interference switch where a laser pulse with an energy density of
photons per causes a 1/e absorption of a second pulse.Comment: to be published in PR
Photon-photon correlations and entanglement in doped photonic crystals
We consider a photonic crystal (PC) doped with four-level atoms whose
intermediate transition is coupled near-resonantly with a photonic band-gap
edge. We show that two photons, each coupled to a different atomic transition
in such atoms, can manifest strong phase or amplitude correlations: One photon
can induce a large phase shift on the other photon or trigger its absorption
and thus operate as an ultrasensitive nonlinear photon-switch. These features
allow the creation of entangled two-photon states and have unique advantages
over previously considered media: (i) no control lasers are needed; (ii) the
system parameters can be chosen to cause full two-photon entanglement via
absorption; (iii) a number of PCs can be combined in a network.Comment: Modified, expanded text; added reference
Slow Light in Doppler Broadened Two level Systems
We show that the propagation of light in a Doppler broadened medium can be
slowed down considerably eventhough such medium exhibits very flat dispersion.
The slowing down is achieved by the application of a saturating counter
propagating beam that produces a hole in the inhomogeneous line shape. In
atomic vapors, we calculate group indices of the order of 10^3. The
calculations include all coherence effects.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
The Skillful Handling of Poison: Bodhicitta and the Kleśas in Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra
Philosophy of Knowledge and Cognitio
A Knob for Changing Light Propagation from Subluminal to Superluminal
We show how the application of a coupling field connecting the two lower
metastable states of a lambda-system can produce a variety of new results on
the propagation of a weak electromagnetic pulse. In principle the light
propagation can be changed from subluminal to superluminal. The negative group
index results from the regions of anomalous dispersion and gain in
susceptibility.Comment: 6 pages,5 figures, typed in RevTeX, accepted in Phys. Rev.
Coupled cavities for enhancing the cross-phase modulation in electromagnetically induced transparency
We propose an optical double-cavity resonator whose response to a signal is
similar to that of an Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) medium. A
combination of such a device with a four-level EIT medium can serve for
achieving large cross-Kerr modulation of a probe field by a signal field. This
would offer the possibility of building a quantum logic gate based on photonic
qubits. We discuss the technical requirements that are necessary for realizing
a probe-photon phase shift of Pi caused by a single-photon signal. The main
difficulty is the requirement of an ultra-low reflectivity beamsplitter and to
operate a sufficiently dense cool EIT medium in a cavity.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, REVTeX, to appear in Phys. Rev. A (v2 - minor
changes in discussion of experimental conditions
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