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arXiv:2402.09302 · Optics Letters

Bragg-like microcavity formed by collision of single-cycle self-induced transparency light pulses in a resonant medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, A. V. Pakhomov, Olga Diachkova, Mikhail V. Arkhipov, Nikolay N. Rosanov

Published Apr 8, 2024• 14 citations
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Abstract

The coherent interaction of extremely short light pulses with a resonant medium can result in the formation of population difference gratings. Such gratings have been created by pulses that are π/2 or smaller. This paper demonstrates that a microcavity with Bragg-like mirrors can be formed by colliding two single-cycle attosecond self-induced transparency pulses in the center of a two-level medium. The parameters of this structure can be quickly adjusted by increasing the number of collisions, which showcases the ability to control the dynamic properties of the medium on a sub-cycle time scale by using attosecond pulses.

DOI
10.1364/ol.521645

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The coherent interaction of extremely short light pulses with a resonant medium can result in the formation of population difference gratings. Such gratings have been created by pulses that are π/2 or smaller. This paper demonstrates that a microcavity with Bragg-like mirrors can be formed by colliding two single-cycle attosecond self-induced transparency pulses in the center of a two-level medium. The parameters of this structure can be quickly adjusted by increasing the number of collisions, which showcases the ability to control the dynamic properties of the medium on a sub-cycle time scale by using attosecond pulses.
An optical Bragg-like microcavity can be formed when extremely short light pulses interacting coherently with the medium collide in the resonant medium. Here we present an analytical approach, based on the approximate solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation, that reveals both the cavity formation and its control by the half-cycle pulses colliding in the medium. This approach allows the calculation of cavity properties in the weak-field regime without the need for complex numerical simulations. Beyond the approximate analytical solutions, our analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulations of the Maxwell-Bloch equations. Grating formation is also studied in the strong-field regime, where collisions of self-induced transparency half-cycle pulses occur. The results presented here reveal, to our knowledge, a new type of spatio-temporal photonic crystal in the form of micro-cavities in a simple atomic medium. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of attosecond optical switching in a simple atomic medium with half-cycle pulses.
We predict a novel, to our knowledge, phenomenon—the formation of arrays of localized dynamic microcavities during asymmetric collision of single-cycle optical pulses in a two-level medium. We demonstrate that such pulses, behaving similarly to 2π self-induced transparency solitons, generate dynamic structures whose shape is determined by the time delay between the pulses. The obtained results open new avenues for sub-wavelength light field control and can be applied in the development of ultrafast optical devices, topological photonics, and petahertz electronics.
This paper examines the behavior of dynamic microcavities (DMs) in multi-level resonant media when attosecond unipolar pulses of different shapes (Gaussian and rectangular) collide, acting as 2 π -like self-induced transparency pulses. For realistic quasi-unipolar pulses, the influence of the trailing edge of opposite polarity is investigated, and conditions under which the trailing edge’s effect can be ignored are found analytically and then confirmed by a direct numerical calculation. We demonstrate that the collision of sub-cycle pulses in a medium results in a rapid change of the refractive index both in time and space. Thus, the case considered here of a resonant medium under the action of a sequence of pulses is an example of a time-dependent medium. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of creating time-dependent media in an atomic medium with high polarization relaxation times T 2 , and subsequently controlling them with half-cycle pulses at an extremely short timescale of half of an electromagnetic field oscillation.
This review highlights recent advances in the creation of atomic population gratings using multi-cycle and extremely short light pulses in a medium. The application of these structures in transient grating spectroscopy is discussed. Special attention is given to the formation of high-quality dynamic microcavities, a novel type of structure recently predicted by the authors, which arises from collisions of extremely short half-cycle pulses within a medium. The results demonstrate the potential for attosecond optical switching of matter states at petahertz frequencies, operating within extreme time scales of half a field oscillation cycle. These findings pave the way for groundbreaking applications in modern ultrafast optics, including petahertz-scale signal processing, attosecond coherent control, and the development of next-generation optical technologies operating at the fundamental limits of speed and precision.
Abstract The paper presents the first study of the formation of disordered arrays of dynamic microcavities under four-pulse excitation of a two-level resonant medium by a train of single-cycle attosecond pulses. The pulses act on the medium similarly to 2π pulses of self-induced transparency. It is shown that multiple pulse collisions in different regions of the medium result in the formation of localized dynamic structures arranged in a disordered manner. The properties of these structures can be rapidly modified by controlling the time delays between the pulses. The results open up new possibilities for research in the field of disordered media, where localization of light and control of dynamic structures are of particular interest.
Abstract The formation of dynamic microcavities (DMs) in the asymmetric collision of a single-cycle π‑pulse and a 2π-pulse of self-induced transparency in a two-level medium is investigated theoretically. The numerical solution of the Maxwell–Bloch equations demonstrates that the interaction of pulses leads to the emergence of two DMs, which are separated in space within the medium. Controlling the shape of the microcavities is possible by altering the number of collisions between pulses. These results pave the way for the development of ultrafast tunable optical devices.