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arXiv:2006.10992 · Optics Letters

Enhanced photon blockade in an optomechanical system with parametric amplification

Dong-Yang Wang, Cheng-Hua Bai, Xue Han, Shutian Liu, Shou Zhang, Hong-Fu Wang

Published Mar 31, 2020• 65 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We propose a scheme to enhance the single- and two-photon blockade effects significantly in a nonlinear hybrid optomechanical system with optical parametric amplification (OPA). The scheme does not rely on strong single-photon optomechanical coupling and can eliminate the disadvantages of suppressing multi-photon excitation incompletely. Through analyzing the single-photon blockade (1PB) mechanism and optimizing the system parameters, we obtain a perfect 1PB with a high occupancy probability of single-photon excitation, which means that a high-quality and efficient single-photon source can be generated. Moreover, we find that not only the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect is significantly enhanced, but also the region where 2PB occurs is widened when OPA exists, where we also derive the optimal parameter condition to maximize two-photon emission and higher photon excitations intensely suppressed at the same time.

DOI
10.1364/ol.392514

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We propose a scheme to enhance the single- and two-photon blockade effects significantly in a nonlinear hybrid optomechanical system with optical parametric amplification (OPA). The scheme does not rely on strong single-photon optomechanical coupling and can eliminate the disadvantages of suppressing multi-photon excitation incompletely. Through analyzing the single-photon blockade (1PB) mechanism and optimizing the system parameters, we obtain a perfect 1PB with a high occupancy probability of single-photon excitation, which means that a high-quality and efficient single-photon source can be generated. Moreover, we find that not only the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect is significantly enhanced, but also the region where 2PB occurs is widened when OPA exists, where we also derive the optimal parameter condition to maximize two-photon emission and higher photon excitations intensely suppressed at the same time.
The photon blockade effect, as a quantum behavior in cavity optomechanics, has certain limitations, including stringent requirements for system parameters and technical difficulties in achieving strong nonlinear interactions. This paper proposes a novel scheme that aims to achieve strong nonlinear effects through introducing the degenerate optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and mechanical squeezing. These enhanced nonlinear effects can significantly improve the photon blockade effect, effectively overcoming the limitations of weak coupling. Our theoretical analysis demonstrates the successful realization of an ideal single-photon blockade (1PB) state through optimized parameter conditions. Additionally, this joint approach significantly enhances the two-photon blockade (2PB) effect and broadens the region where 2PB occurs. This finding helps us identify the optimal system parameters to maximize two-photon emission efficiency. By precisely controlling these parameters, a new pathway is opened for more flexible manipulation and utilization of the photon blockade effect in experiments.
A scheme is proposed to enhance the photon blockade effect in a hybrid optomechanical system with a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$-type atom driven by the microwave. Through analyzing the conventional and unconventional blockade mechanisms, we find that the enhanced photon blockade effect can be attributed to two aspects: (i) The nonresonant coupled $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$-type atom reconstructs the anharmonic eigenenergy spectrum and (ii) the microwave driving field promotes the destructive quantum interference for two-photon excitation. By means of the joint enhancement effect, the perfect photon blockade, i.e., the second-order correlation function ${g}^{(2)}(0)\ensuremath{\simeq}0$, can be achieved without the strong single-photon optomechanical coupling as reported in the standard optomechanical system. All the analyses and derivations are further verified via simulating numerically the quantum master equation of the initial Hamiltonian, showing good agreement between analytical and numerical results. Moreover, the optimal parameter relation is given to optimize the photon blockade and maximize the occupancy probability of single-photon excitation at the same time. Our scheme provides a feasible method to engineer a high-quality and efficient single-photon source.
We study the single-photon blockade (1PB), two-photon blockade (2PB), and photon-induced tunneling (PIT) effects in a cavity–atom optomechanical system in which a two-level atom is coupled to a single-model cavity field via a two-photon interaction. By analyzing the eigenenergy spectrum of the system, we obtain a perfect 1PB with a high occupancy probability of single-photon excitation, which means that a high-quality and efficient single-photon source can be generated. However, PIT often occurs in many cases when we consider 2PB in analogy to 1PB. In addition, we find that a 2PB region will present in the optomechanical system, which can be proved by calculating the correlation function of the model analytically.
Photon blockade (PB) is a quantum effect in strongly nonlinear systems where a single photon prevents the system from being excited to a higher level, generating anti-bunched light fields. It enables the generation of single-photon sources for quantum information processing. Conventional photon blockade (CPB) leverages strong nonlinear interactions to generate an anharmonic energy spectrum. Unconventional photon blockade (UPB) utilizes destructive quantum interference between excitation pathways. Recently, environmentally induced photon blockade (EPB) has emerged as a novel approach, exploiting two-photon absorption (TPA) to realize photon blockade. In this work, we combine UPB and EPB together, considering the TPA effect in the optical parametric amplifier (OPA), thereby achieving a more stable PB with stronger suppression of multi-photon states.
This work investigates photon blockade control in a hybrid quantum system containing a Kerr-nonlinear cavity coupled to an optical parametric amplifier (OPA). The dynamics are governed by a master equation derived from an effective Hamiltonian that includes cavity decay. To obtain analytical solutions, the system's quantum state is expanded in the Fock basis up to the two-photon level. Solving the steady-state Schrodinger equation yields probability amplitudes and the analytical conditions for optimal photon blockade. Results confirm that photon blockade is achievable with suitable parameters. Excellent agreement is found between the analytical solutions and numerical simulations for the steady-state, equal-time second-order correlation function, validating both the analytical method and the blockade effect. Numerically, the average intracavity photon number increases significantly under resonance, providing a theoretical pathway for enhancing single-photon source brightness. Furthermore, the driving phase is shown to regulate the optimal blockade region: it shifts the parabolic region within the two-dimensional parameter space of driving strength and OPA nonlinearity and can even reverse its opening direction. The influence of Kerr nonlinearity is also examined. Photon blockade remains robust across a wide range of Kerr strengths. Physical analysis attributes the effect to destructive quantum interference between two distinct excitation pathways that suppress two-photon states. While Kerr nonlinearity shifts the system's energy levels, it does not disrupt this interference mechanism, explaining the effect's stability over a broad parameter range.
We theoretically study the photon blockade (PB) effect in a double-cavity optomechanical system with the two-photon driving. By analytical calculations and numerical simulations, the physical mechanisms of conventional photon blockade (CPB) and unconventional photon blockade (UPB) are discussed in detail. And then we obtain the optimal parameter conditions for PB. In our work, there exist both the CPB induced by strong nonlinear interaction and the UPB caused by quantum interference. In particular, we find that CPB and UPB can occur simultaneously under the same parameters. In addition, we also prove that the appropriate values of nonreciprocal coupling and two-photon driving are favorable to the improvement of PB. Our proposal provides an idea for simultaneously realizing CPB and UPB in the optomechanical system and offers a route for constructing high-quality single-photon sources.