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arXiv:1803.04086 · Physical Review A

Tunable single-photon diode by chiral quantum physics

Wei‐Bin Yan, Weiyuan Ni, Jing Zhang, Feng‐Yang Zhang, Heng Fan

Published Oct 30, 2018• 64 citations
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Abstract

We investigate a single-photon diode realized by a one-dimensional waveguide chirally coupled to $N$ spatially separated $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$-type three-level emitters. An external laser is introduced to drive the emitters. The single photons moving in opposite directions show different transmission probabilities, which underpins the diode behavior. In the case of a single emitter, the single-photon diode works well at specific frequency points, which are tunable by the external laser. In the case of multiple emitters, the optimal-working-frequency point of the diode can be turned to a broad band.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.98.043852

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Single-photon transport in nonideal chiral photon-atom interaction structures generally contains information backflow and thus limits the capabilities to transfer information between distant emitters in cascaded quantum networks. Here, in the nonideal chiral case, a VVV-type atom coupled to a waveguide is proposed to realize completely unidirectional transmission of the single photons in a superposition state of different frequencies. A microwave field is introduced to drive the two excited states of the atom and results in photon conversion between two transitions. By adjusting the Rabi frequency and the phase of the external driving field, the transport behaviors of incident photons with specific frequencies can be optimized to complete transmission or reflection. Based on the constructive interferences between photons from different traveling paths, the transmission probabilities of the specific-frequency photons could be enhanced. Due to photon conversions with compensating the dissipations and ensuring the complete destructive interference, the ideal unidirectional transmission contrast can be maintained to $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$, even when the atom has dissipations into the nonwaveguide modes.
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