© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

Terms Privacy Legal Notice

arXiv:1208.5091 · Physical Review Letters

Controllable Optical Phase Shift Over One Radian from a Single Isolated Atom

Andreas Jechow, B. G. Norton, S. Händel, Valdis Blūms, Erik W. Streed, D. Kielpinski

Published Mar 14, 2013• 16 citations

Abstract

Fundamental optics such as lenses and prisms work by applying phase shifts of several radians to incoming light, and rapid control of such phase shifts is crucial to telecommunications. However, large, controllable optical phase shifts have remained elusive for isolated quantum systems. We have used a single trapped atomic ion to induce and measure a large optical phase shift of 1.3±0.1 radians in light scattered by the atom. Spatial interferometry between the scattered light and unscattered illumination light enables us to isolate the phase shift in the scattered component. The phase shift achieves the maximum value allowed by atomic theory over the accessible range of laser frequencies, pointing out new opportunities in microscopy and nanophotonics. Single-atom phase shifts of this magnitude open up new quantum information protocols, in particular long-range quantum phase-shift-keying cryptography.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.110.113605

Related papers

Large optical phase shift from a single trapped atomic ion

Andreas Jechow, Erik W. Streed, B. G. Norton +3 more

In this paper, we have observed a large optical phase shift of 1.3±01 radian from a single ion. The phase shift can be controlled by changing the detuning of the illumination laser. This scheme might find application in quantum computing and quantum information processing.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•May 1, 2013•0 citations

Imaging a single atom's absorption and phase shift

Andreas Jechow, Erik W. Streed, B. G. Norton +3 more

We have used a single trapped atomic ion to induce and measure a large optical phase shift of 1.3 radians in light scattered by the atom by utilizing spatial interferometry based on absorption imaging.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Pacific Rim (CLEO-PR)•Jun 1, 2013•0 citations

Large Phase-by-Phase Modulations in Atomic Interfaces

M. Artoni, Alessandro Zavatta

Phase-resonant closed-loop optical transitions can be engineered to achieve broadly tunable light phase shifts. Such a novel phase-by-phase control mechanism does not require a cavity and is illustrated here for an atomic interface where a classical light pulse undergoes radian level phase modulations all-optically controllable over a few micron scale. It works even at low intensities and hence may be relevant to new applications of all-optical weak-light signal processing.

Physical Review Letters•Sep 10, 2015•13 citations

Direct observation of non-linear optical phase shift induced by a single quantum emitter in a waveguide

Mathias Staunstrup, Alexey Tiranov, Ying Wang +7 more

Realizing a sensitive photon-number-dependent phase shift on a light beam is required both in classical and quantum photonics. It may lead to new applications for classical and quantum photonics machine learning or pave the way for realizing photon-photon gate operations. Non-linear phase-shifts require efficient light-matter interaction, and recently quantum dots coupled to nanophotonic devices have enabled near-deterministic single-photon coupling. We experimentally realize an optical phase shift of $0.19 π\pm 0.03$ radians ($\approx 34$ degrees) using a weak coherent state interacting with a single quantum dot in a planar nanophotonic waveguide. The phase shift is probed by interferometric measurements of the light scattered from the quantum dot in the waveguide. The nonlinear process is sensitive at the single-photon level and can be made compatible with scalable photonic integrated circuitry. The work may open new prospects for realizing high-efficiency optical switching or be applied for proof-of-concept quantum machine learning or quantum simulation demonstrations.

arXiv:2305.06839•May 11, 2023•1 citation

Direct observation of a few-photon phase shift induced by a single quantum emitter in a waveguide

Mathias Staunstrup, Alexey Tiranov, Ying Wang +7 more

Realizing a sensitive photon-number-dependent phase shift on a light beam is required both in classical and quantum photonics. It may lead to new applications for classical and quantum photonics machine learning or pave the way for realizing photon-photon gate operations. Nonlinear phase-shifts require efficient light-matter interaction, and recently quantum dots coupled to nanophotonic devices have enabled near-deterministic single-photon coupling. We experimentally realize an optical phase shift of 0.19π ± 0.03 radians ( ≈ 34 degrees) using a weak coherent state interacting with a single quantum dot in a planar nanophotonic waveguide. The phase shift is probed by interferometric measurements of the light scattered from the quantum dot in the waveguide. The process is nonlinear in power, the saturation at the single-photon level and compatible with scalable photonic integrated circuitry. The work may open new prospects for realizing high-efficiency optical switching or be applied for proof-of-concept quantum machine learning or quantum simulation demonstrations.

Nature Communications•Aug 31, 2024•14 citations

Single atom occupancy in a microscopic dipole trap

Andrew J. Hilliard, Mathew McGovern, Tzahi Grünzweig +1 more

Atoms in microscopic optical dipole traps provide a versatile platform for fundamental studies of quantum mechanics at the individual event level and have potential for application in quantum information processing. Recent progress in these fields includes demonstrations of many body quantum states at the single atom level, the phase shift of a light beam induced by a single atom, and the realization of a Controlled-NOT quantum gate.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe & European Quantum Electronics Conference (CLEO/Europe-EQEC)•May 1, 2011•0 citations

Fundamental optics such as lenses and prisms work by applying phase shifts of several radians to incoming light, and rapid control of such phase shifts is crucial to telecommunications. However, large, controllable optical phase shifts have remained elusive for isolated quantum systems. We have used a single trapped atomic ion to induce and measure a large optical phase shift of 1.3±0.1 radians in light scattered by the atom. Spatial interferometry between the scattered light and unscattered illumination light enables us to isolate the phase shift in the scattered component. The phase shift achieves the maximum value allowed by atomic theory over the accessible range of laser frequencies, pointing out new opportunities in microscopy and nanophotonics. Single-atom phase shifts of this magnitude open up new quantum information protocols, in particular long-range quantum phase-shift-keying cryptography.

Realizing a sensitive photon-number-dependent phase shift on a light beam is required both in classical and quantum photonics. It may lead to new applications for classical and quantum photonics machine learning or pave the way for realizing photon-photon gate operations. Non-linear phase-shifts require efficient light-matter interaction, and recently quantum dots coupled to nanophotonic devices have enabled near-deterministic single-photon coupling. We experimentally realize an optical phase shift of

0.19 π\pm 0.03

radians (

\approx 34

degrees) using a weak coherent state interacting with a single quantum dot in a planar nanophotonic waveguide. The phase shift is probed by interferometric measurements of the light scattered from the quantum dot in the waveguide. The nonlinear process is sensitive at the single-photon level and can be made compatible with scalable photonic integrated circuitry. The work may open new prospects for realizing high-efficiency optical switching or be applied for proof-of-concept quantum machine learning or quantum simulation demonstrations.

Realizing a sensitive photon-number-dependent phase shift on a light beam is required both in classical and quantum photonics. It may lead to new applications for classical and quantum photonics machine learning or pave the way for realizing photon-photon gate operations. Nonlinear phase-shifts require efficient light-matter interaction, and recently quantum dots coupled to nanophotonic devices have enabled near-deterministic single-photon coupling. We experimentally realize an optical phase shift of 0.19π ± 0.03 radians ( ≈ 34 degrees) using a weak coherent state interacting with a single quantum dot in a planar nanophotonic waveguide. The phase shift is probed by interferometric measurements of the light scattered from the quantum dot in the waveguide. The process is nonlinear in power, the saturation at the single-photon level and compatible with scalable photonic integrated circuitry. The work may open new prospects for realizing high-efficiency optical switching or be applied for proof-of-concept quantum machine learning or quantum simulation demonstrations.