Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1808.03132 · Physical Review A

Optical bistability and nonlinear dynamics by saturation of cold Yb atoms in a cavity

Hannes Gothe, T. Valenzuela, Matteo Cristiani, Jürgen Eschner

Published Jan 28, 2019• 21 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We observe optical bistability as well as oscillations in the upper bistable branch when cold ytterbium atoms are dispersively coupled to a high finesse optical cavity. Comparable previous observations were explained by atomic density oscillations in case of a Bose-Einstein condensate or optical pumping in case of a cold cloud of cesium. Both explanations do not apply in our case of thermal atoms with only a single ground state. We propose a simple two-level model including saturation to describe our experimental results. This paper introduces the experimental setup, derives the mentioned model, and compares it to our experimental data. Good quantitative agreement supports our model.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.99.013849

Related papers

Dynamical coupling between a Bose–Einstein condensate and a cavity optical lattice

Stephan Ritter, Ferdinand Brennecke, Kristian Baumann +3 more

A Bose–Einstein condensate is dispersively coupled to a single mode of an ultra-high finesse optical cavity. The system is governed by strong interactions between the atomic motion and the light field even at the level of single quanta. While coherently pumping the cavity mode the condensate is subject to the cavity optical lattice potential whose depth depends nonlinearly on the atomic density distribution. We observe optical bistability already below the single photon level and strong back-action dynamics which tunes the coupled system periodically out of resonance.

arXiv:0811.3967•Applied Physics B•Feb 27, 2009•96 citations

Ground-state bistability of cold atoms in a cavity

B. Gábor, Dávid Nagy, A. Dombi +5 more

We experimentally demonstrate an optical bistability between two hyperfine ground states of trapped, cold atoms, using a single mode of an optical resonator in the collective strong coupling regime. Whereas in the familiar case, the bistable region is created through atomic saturation, we report an effect between states of high quantum purity, which is essential for future information storage. The source of nonlinearity is a cavity-assisted pumping between ground states of the atoms and the stability depends on the intensity of two driving lasers. We interpret the phenomenon in terms of the recent paradigm of first-order, driven-dissipative phase transitions, where the transmitted and driving fields are understood as the order and control parameters, respectively. A semiclassical mean-field theory is invoked to describe the nontrivial two-dimensional phase diagram arising from the competition of the two drive. The saturation-induced bistability is recovered for infinite drive in one of the controls. The order of the transition is confirmed experimentally by hysteresis in the order parameter when either of the two control parameters is swept repeatedly across the bistability region.

arXiv:2207.01724•Physical Review A•Feb 15, 2023•15 citations

Quantum resonant optical bistability with a narrow atomic transition: bistability phase diagram in the bad cavity regime

Dalila Rivero Jerez, C. A. Pessoa, Gustavo Henrique de França +3 more

We report on the observation of a novel manifestation of saturation-induced optical bistability in a resonantly pumped optical ring cavity interacting strongly with a cloud of atoms via a narrow atomic transition. The bistability emerges, above a critical pump rate, as an additional peak in the cavity's normal mode spectrum close to atomic resonance. This third transmission peak is usually suppressed due to strong resonant absorption, but in our experiment it is visible because of the linewidth of the atomic transition being much smaller than that of the cavity, which sets the experiment into the bad-cavity regime. Relying on complete saturation of the transition, this bistability has a quantum origin and cannot be mimicked by a classical material presenting a nonlinear refraction index. The appearance of the central peak in addition to the normal modes is predicted by a semi-classical model derived from the Tavis-Cummings Hamiltonian from which we derive a bistability phase diagram that connects our observations with former work on optical bistability in the good cavity regime. The phase diagram reveals several so far unexplored bistable phases.

arXiv:2305.07133•May 11, 2023•0 citations

Absorptive optical bistability in two-state atoms

Albert T. Rosenberger, Luis A. Orozco, Harry J. Kimble +1 more

Absolute quantitative comparisons between experiment and theory are reported for the steady-state characteristics of optical bistability with two-state atoms in ring and in standing-wave resonators. The case treated here is the absorptive one, with both atoms and cavity resonant with the field. The experiment is designed to realize as closely as possible a standard theoretical model of two-state atoms interacting with a single mode of the electromagnetic field in a resonator and is described in detail. A detailed explanation is also given of the extensions to the standard theory that are needed to account for unavoidable experimental limitations such as transit broadening and the nonideal nature of the resonator. The good agreement observed between experiment and theory provides a foundation for quantitative investigation of nonlinear dynamics and quantum phenomena in this nonequilibrium optical system.

Physical Review A•Jun 1, 1991•41 citations

Two-photon double-beam optical bistability in the dispersive regime

Philippe Grangier, Jean-François Roch, J. Roger +4 more

We report the observation and theoretical interpretation of two-photon double-beam optical bistability, where the nonlinearity is obtained in a two-photon transition in a sodium atomic beam. The experimental results, obtained in the dispersive regime, are compared with a simple crossed-phase-modulation model, and also with a numerical solution of the interaction between the cavity fields and three-level atoms, using the optical Bloch equations. For a wide range of parameters, both models agree with the experimental results. Oscillatory regimes may also appear, in agreement with the predictions of the complete model.

Physical Review A•Sep 1, 1992•26 citations

Quantum resonant optical bistability with a narrow atomic transition: bistability phase diagram in the bad cavity regime

D. Rivero, C. A. Pessoa, Gustavo Henrique de França +3 more

Abstract We report on the observation of a novel manifestation of saturation-induced optical bistability in a resonantly pumped optical ring cavity interacting strongly with a cloud of atoms via a narrow atomic transition. The bistability emerges, above a critical pump rate, as an additional peak in the cavity’s normal mode spectrum close to atomic resonance. This third transmission peak is usually suppressed due to strong resonant absorption, but in our experiment it is visible because of the linewidth of the atomic transition being much smaller than that of the cavity, which sets the experiment into the bad-cavity regime. Relying on complete saturation of the transition, this bistability has a quantum origin and cannot be mimicked by a classical material presenting a nonlinear refraction index. The appearance of the central peak in addition to the normal modes is predicted by a semi-classical model derived from the Tavis–Cummings Hamiltonian from which we derive a bistability phase diagram that connects our observations with former work on optical bistability in the good cavity regime. The phase diagram reveals several so far unexplored bistable phases.

New Journal of Physics•Sep 1, 2023•9 citations
We observe optical bistability as well as oscillations in the upper bistable branch when cold ytterbium atoms are dispersively coupled to a high finesse optical cavity. Comparable previous observations were explained by atomic density oscillations in case of a Bose-Einstein condensate or optical pumping in case of a cold cloud of cesium. Both explanations do not apply in our case of thermal atoms with only a single ground state. We propose a simple two-level model including saturation to describe our experimental results. This paper introduces the experimental setup, derives the mentioned model, and compares it to our experimental data. Good quantitative agreement supports our model.
A Bose–Einstein condensate is dispersively coupled to a single mode of an ultra-high finesse optical cavity. The system is governed by strong interactions between the atomic motion and the light field even at the level of single quanta. While coherently pumping the cavity mode the condensate is subject to the cavity optical lattice potential whose depth depends nonlinearly on the atomic density distribution. We observe optical bistability already below the single photon level and strong back-action dynamics which tunes the coupled system periodically out of resonance.
We experimentally demonstrate an optical bistability between two hyperfine ground states of trapped, cold atoms, using a single mode of an optical resonator in the collective strong coupling regime. Whereas in the familiar case, the bistable region is created through atomic saturation, we report an effect between states of high quantum purity, which is essential for future information storage. The source of nonlinearity is a cavity-assisted pumping between ground states of the atoms and the stability depends on the intensity of two driving lasers. We interpret the phenomenon in terms of the recent paradigm of first-order, driven-dissipative phase transitions, where the transmitted and driving fields are understood as the order and control parameters, respectively. A semiclassical mean-field theory is invoked to describe the nontrivial two-dimensional phase diagram arising from the competition of the two drive. The saturation-induced bistability is recovered for infinite drive in one of the controls. The order of the transition is confirmed experimentally by hysteresis in the order parameter when either of the two control parameters is swept repeatedly across the bistability region.
We report on the observation of a novel manifestation of saturation-induced optical bistability in a resonantly pumped optical ring cavity interacting strongly with a cloud of atoms via a narrow atomic transition. The bistability emerges, above a critical pump rate, as an additional peak in the cavity's normal mode spectrum close to atomic resonance. This third transmission peak is usually suppressed due to strong resonant absorption, but in our experiment it is visible because of the linewidth of the atomic transition being much smaller than that of the cavity, which sets the experiment into the bad-cavity regime. Relying on complete saturation of the transition, this bistability has a quantum origin and cannot be mimicked by a classical material presenting a nonlinear refraction index. The appearance of the central peak in addition to the normal modes is predicted by a semi-classical model derived from the Tavis-Cummings Hamiltonian from which we derive a bistability phase diagram that connects our observations with former work on optical bistability in the good cavity regime. The phase diagram reveals several so far unexplored bistable phases.
Absolute quantitative comparisons between experiment and theory are reported for the steady-state characteristics of optical bistability with two-state atoms in ring and in standing-wave resonators. The case treated here is the absorptive one, with both atoms and cavity resonant with the field. The experiment is designed to realize as closely as possible a standard theoretical model of two-state atoms interacting with a single mode of the electromagnetic field in a resonator and is described in detail. A detailed explanation is also given of the extensions to the standard theory that are needed to account for unavoidable experimental limitations such as transit broadening and the nonideal nature of the resonator. The good agreement observed between experiment and theory provides a foundation for quantitative investigation of nonlinear dynamics and quantum phenomena in this nonequilibrium optical system.
We report the observation and theoretical interpretation of two-photon double-beam optical bistability, where the nonlinearity is obtained in a two-photon transition in a sodium atomic beam. The experimental results, obtained in the dispersive regime, are compared with a simple crossed-phase-modulation model, and also with a numerical solution of the interaction between the cavity fields and three-level atoms, using the optical Bloch equations. For a wide range of parameters, both models agree with the experimental results. Oscillatory regimes may also appear, in agreement with the predictions of the complete model.
Abstract We report on the observation of a novel manifestation of saturation-induced optical bistability in a resonantly pumped optical ring cavity interacting strongly with a cloud of atoms via a narrow atomic transition. The bistability emerges, above a critical pump rate, as an additional peak in the cavity’s normal mode spectrum close to atomic resonance. This third transmission peak is usually suppressed due to strong resonant absorption, but in our experiment it is visible because of the linewidth of the atomic transition being much smaller than that of the cavity, which sets the experiment into the bad-cavity regime. Relying on complete saturation of the transition, this bistability has a quantum origin and cannot be mimicked by a classical material presenting a nonlinear refraction index. The appearance of the central peak in addition to the normal modes is predicted by a semi-classical model derived from the Tavis–Cummings Hamiltonian from which we derive a bistability phase diagram that connects our observations with former work on optical bistability in the good cavity regime. The phase diagram reveals several so far unexplored bistable phases.