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arXiv:2402.06839 · Physical Review Letters

Quantum Interfaces with Multilayered Superwavelength Atomic Arrays

Roni Ben-Maimon, Yakov Solomons, Nir Davidson, Ofer Firstenberg, Ephraim Shahmoon

Published Jun 25, 2025• 2 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We consider quantum light-matter interfaces comprised of multiple layers of two-dimensional tweezer atomic arrays, wherein the lattice spacings exceed the wavelength of light. While the coupling of light to a single layer of such a "superwavelength" lattice is considerably reduced due to scattering losses to high diffraction orders, we show that the addition of layers can suppress these losses through destructive interference between the layers. Mapping the problem to a 1D model of a quantum interface wherein the coupling efficiency is characterized by a reflectivity, we analyze the latter by developing a geometrical optics formulation, accounting for realistic finite-size arrays. We find that optimized efficiency favors small diffraction-order angles and small interlayer separations, and that the coupling inefficiency for two layers universally scales as N^{-1} with the atom number per layer N. We validate our predictions using direct numerical calculations of the scattering reflectivity and the performance of a quantum memory protocol, demonstrating high atom-photon coupling efficiency. This opens the way for various applications in tweezer atomic-array platforms.

DOI
10.1103/yw5w-j13k

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We consider quantum light-matter interfaces comprised of multiple layers of two-dimensional tweezer atomic arrays, wherein the lattice spacings exceed the wavelength of light. While the coupling of light to a single layer of such a "superwavelength" lattice is considerably reduced due to scattering losses to high diffraction orders, we show that the addition of layers can suppress these losses through destructive interference between the layers. Mapping the problem to a 1D model of a quantum interface wherein the coupling efficiency is characterized by a reflectivity, we analyze the latter by developing a geometrical optics formulation, accounting for realistic finite-size arrays. We find that optimized efficiency favors small diffraction-order angles and small interlayer separations, and that the coupling inefficiency for two layers universally scales as N^{-1} with the atom number per layer N. We validate our predictions using direct numerical calculations of the scattering reflectivity and the performance of a quantum memory protocol, demonstrating high atom-photon coupling efficiency. This opens the way for various applications in tweezer atomic-array platforms.
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 study quantum light-matter interfaces based on bilayer atomic arrays in free space, considering interlayer spacings aza_zaz​ that may deviate from the Bragg-symmetric condition, az∈integer×λ/2a_z\in \mathrm{integer}\times λ/2az​∈integer×λ/2 with λλλ the light wavelength. Mapping the problem to a one-dimensional model, we show that the interface efficiency is fully determined by simple scattering observables −-− reflection and transmission −-− providing a direct, experimentally accessible characterization. This reveals new opportunities for optimizing light-matter coupling by operating beyond the Bragg symmetry. In particular, we identify configurations that suppress diffraction losses via destructive interference, enabling substantially improved interface efficiencies compared to Bragg-constrained designs. In addition, we introduce a new quantum memory scheme based on a collective dark state whose coupling to light is continuously controlled by tuning the interlayer spacing. More broadly, our results establish non-symmetric atomic arrays as a flexible platform for efficient quantum interfaces in free space.
We develop a general framework for the analysis of two-sided quantum interfaces, composed of collections of atoms interacting with paraxial light. Accounting for photon-mediated dipole-dipole interactions, our approach is based on the mapping of collective atom-photon interfaces onto a generic one-dimensional model of light scattering, characterized by a reflectivity parameter r 0 . This entails two key practical advantages: (i) the efficiency of the quantum interface in performing various quantum tasks, such as quantum memory or entanglement generation, is universally given by r 0 and is hence reduced to a measurement or classical calculation of a reflectivity; (ii) the efficiency can be greatly enhanced by a properly designed photon mode that spatially matches a collective-dipole eigenmode of the atoms. We demonstrate our approach for realistic cases of finite-size atomic arrays, partially filled arrays, and circular arrays. This provides a unified approach for treating collective light-matter coupling in various platforms, such as optical lattices and optical tweezers. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
A novel way to create efficient atom-light interfaces is to engineer collective atomic states that selectively radiate into a target optical mode by suppressing emission into undesired modes through destructive interference. While it is generally assumed that this approach requires dense atomic arrays with sub-wavelength lattice constants, here we show that selective radiance can also be achieved in arrays with super-wavelength spacing. By stacking multiple two-dimensional arrays we find super-wavelength mirror configurations where one can eliminate emission into unwanted diffraction orders while enhancing emission into the desired specular mode, leading to near-perfect reflection of weak resonant light. These super-wavelength arrays can also be functionalized into efficient quantum memories, with error probabilities on the order of ~1 for a trilayer with only around ~100 atoms per layer. Relaxing the previous constraint of sub-wavelength spacing could potentially ease the technical requirements for realizing efficient atom-light interfaces, such as enabling the use of tweezer arrays.
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.
A principal goal of distributed quantum processing is the ability to generate, manipulate, and transfer quantum states between distant nodes of a quantum network. These protocols generally require connecting photonic and material carriers of quantum information. Here we present two experimental realizations of light-matter interfaces that allow for engineered atom-photon interactions in free-space settings. First, we utilize reconfigurable arrays of trapped single atoms to study light scattering in low-dimensional systems. We observe noncollinear phase-matching geometries that have suppressed sensitivity to particle localization. We show that the scattered radiation can be controllably enhanced or diminished as a result of Bragg interference. Such scattering can be used for mapping collective states within an array of neutral atoms onto propagating light fields and for establishing quantum links between separated arrays. Second, we create a quasi-two-level system in a regime of Rydberg excitation blockade for a mesoscopic ensemble of several hundred atoms confined in a magic-wavelength optical lattice. We demonstrate coherent driving and Ramsey interference measurements of light shifts, with timescales on the order of ∼ 10 μs. Whereas the coupling producing the Rabi oscillations is enhanced by a factor of √N, there is no corresponding enhancement for the light shifts. These results may prove useful in applying collective qubits with Rydberg interactions to scalable quantum networking architectures.