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arXiv:1510.07855 · Physical Review Letters

Enhanced Optical Cross Section via Collective Coupling of Atomic Dipoles in a 2D Array

Robert J. Bettles, S. A. Gardiner, Charles S. Adams

Published Mar 9, 2016• 268 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Enhancing the optical cross section is an enticing goal in light-matter interactions, due to its fundamental role in quantum and nonlinear optics. Here, we show how dipolar interactions can suppress off-axis scattering in a two-dimensional atomic array, leading to a subradiant collective mode where the optical cross section is enhanced by almost an order of magnitude. As a consequence, it is possible to attain an optical depth which implies high-fidelity extinction, from a monolayer. Using realistic experimental parameters, we also model how lattice vacancies and the atomic trapping depth affect the transmission, concluding that such high extinction should be possible, using current experimental techniques.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.116.103602

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Enhancing the optical cross section is an enticing goal in light-matter interactions, due to its fundamental role in quantum and nonlinear optics. Here, we show how dipolar interactions can suppress off-axis scattering in a two-dimensional atomic array, leading to a subradiant collective mode where the optical cross section is enhanced by almost an order of magnitude. As a consequence, it is possible to attain an optical depth which implies high-fidelity extinction, from a monolayer. Using realistic experimental parameters, we also model how lattice vacancies and the atomic trapping depth affect the transmission, concluding that such high extinction should be possible, using current experimental techniques.
Abstract We propose two experimental schemes for nanofiber-based compensated optical dipole traps that optimize the collective coupling of a one-dimensional array of atoms. The created array satisfies the second-order Bragg condition ( d = λ ), facilitating constructive interference of atomic radiation into the nanofiber and generating coherent back reflections of guided modes. Both schemes use far-off resonance light to minimize light scattering and atomic heating. Our numerical study focuses on the D2 line for 87 Rb atoms. The results are generalizable to different atomic species and could improve the study of collective and nonlinear atomic effects.
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We consider the coupling of light, via an optical cavity, to two-dimensional atomic arrays whose lattice spacing exceeds the wavelength of the light. Such “superwavelength” spacing is typical of optical tweezer arrays. While subwavelength arrays exhibit strong atom-photon coupling, characterized by high optical reflectivity in free space, the coupling efficiency of superwavelength arrays is reduced due to collective scattering losses to high diffraction orders. We show how a moderate-finesse cavity can overcome these losses. As the scattering losses peak at certain discrete values of the lattice spacing, the spacing can be optimized to achieve efficient atom-photon coupling in the cavity. Our cavity-QED theory properly accounts for collective dipolar interactions mediated by the lossy, non-cavity-confined photon modes and for finite-size effects of both the array and the light field. These findings pave the way to harnessing the versatility of tweezer arrays for efficient atom-photon interfaces in applications of quantum computing, networking, and nonlinear optics. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
We determine the transmission of light through a planar atomic array beyond the limit of low light intensity that displays optical bistability in the mean-field regime. We develop a theory describing the intrinsic optical bistability, which is supported purely by resonant dipole-dipole interactions in free space, showing how bistable light amplitudes exhibit both strong cooperative and weak single-atom responses and how they depend on the underlying low light intensity collective excitation eigenmodes. Similarities of the theory with optical bistability in cavities are highlighted, while recurrent light scattering between atoms takes on the role of cavity mirrors. Our numerics and analytic estimates show a sharp variation in the extinction, reflectivity, and group delays of the array, with the incident light completely extinguished up to a critical intensity well beyond the low light intensity limit. Our analysis paves a way for collective nonlinear optics with cooperatively responding dense atomic ensembles.
We realize collective enhancement and suppression of light scattered by an array of tweezer-trapped ^{87}Rb atoms positioned within a strongly coupled Fabry-Pérot optical cavity. We illuminate the array with light directed transverse to the cavity axis, in the low saturation regime, and detect photons scattered into the cavity. For an array with integer-optical-wavelength spacing each atom scatters light into the cavity with nearly identical scattering amplitude, leading to an observed N^{2} scaling of cavity photon number as the atom number increases stepwise from N=1 to N=8. By contrast, for an array with half-integer-wavelength spacing, destructive interference of scattering amplitudes yields a nonmonotonic, subradiant cavity intensity versus N. By analyzing the polarization of light emitted from the cavity, we find that Rayleigh scattering can be collectively enhanced or suppressed with respect to Raman scattering. We observe also that atom-induced shifts and broadenings of the cavity resonance are precisely tuned by varying the atom number and positions. Altogether, tweezer arrays provide exquisite control of atomic cavity QED spanning from the single- to the many-body regime.