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:2406.01447 · Physical Review A

Linear and nonlinear propagation of cylindrical vector beams through a nondegenerate four-level atomic system

Partha Das, Tarak Nath Dey

Published Dec 26, 2024• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We investigate the phase-induced susceptibilities for both components of the probe vector beam (PVB) within an atomic system. The atoms are prepared in a nondegenerate four-level configuration. The transitions are coupled by a $\ensuremath{\pi}$ polarized control field and two orthogonally polarized components of a PVB. We show that the linear susceptibility of the medium depends on the phase shift between the control field and PVB, characterizing loss or gain in the system. Additionally, the phase shift causes polarization rotation in the vector beams (VBs) as they propagate. We further study the effect of nonlinearity on the VB propagation through the medium for a couple of Rayleigh lengths. The self-focusing and defocusing phenomena are observed for radial, azimuthal, and spiral VBs. The special chain-like self-focusing and defocusing leads to the formation of consecutive smaller spot sizes with moderate gain. Therefore, the mechanism of control of susceptibility and self-focusing may hold promise for applications such as transitioning from an absorber to an amplifier, high-resolution microscopy, and optical trap systems.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.110.063720

Related papers

Comparative study of focusing with scalar and vector beams in an active Raman gain system

Partha Das, Tarak Nath Dey

We investigate the focusing characteristics of scalar and vector beams within an atomic medium. An active-Raman-gain configuration is employed to achieve significant Kerr nonlinearity in a four-state atomic system. The probe beams can attain focusing within the medium through careful selection of input beam intensities and the spatial profile of the control field. We analytically derive the linear and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities for both scalar and vector probe beams. Our observations indicate that, in addition to the energy transfer from the control beam to the probe beam, the giant cross-Kerr nonlinearity facilitates the focusing of the scalar probe beam into a significantly smaller spot size. Conversely, the vector probe beams exhibit gain-induced narrowing. Furthermore, we evaluate the state of polarization for the vector beam at the minimum beam waist, observing a polarization rotation and a change in ellipticity during propagation. Through the mechanism of focusing, we achieve a reduced spot size for the probe beam, which may have substantial implications for resolution enhancement in microscopy applications.

arXiv:2506.05093•Physical Review A•Aug 28, 2025•1 citation

Manipulating the transmission of vector beam with spatially polarized atomic ensemble

Xin Yang, Aiping Fang, Jinwen Wang +8 more

Vector beams (VBs) with potential applications are successfully utilized in many fields as light sources with a spatially-varying polarization profile in recent years. Here, we study the transmission of a VB by manipulating atomic polarization via the optical pumping effect. By using hybridly and radially polarized beams as pump and probe beams in a counter-propagating configuration, we observe a four-petal pattern intensity distribution of probe beam, and the four-petal pattern rotates with the polarization state orientation of the pump beam. The results show a polarization dependent absorption in the atomic media. We experimentally demonstrate the absorption characteristics under different polarization combinations of pump and probe beams. The Jones matrix method is used to explain this phenomenon and the simulations are consistent with the experimental observation. Our results may provide a sound foundation for applications in optical manipulation and quantum information in atomic ensembles.

Optics Express•Feb 4, 2019•15 citations

Guiding and polarization shaping of vector beams in anisotropic media

Nilamoni Daloi, Pardeep Kumar, Tarak Nath Dey

We investigate a scheme to guide a weak vector beam using optically written waveguides inside atomic vapor, while controlling its polarization rotation. The atoms are prepared in the four-level tripod configuration in the presence of an external magnetic field. The three transitions of the tripod system are driven by a strong control beam and the two orthogonal polarization components of a weak vector beam (VB). A suitable spatial intensity profile and the detuning of the control field facilitate the generation of an optical fiberlike refractive index gradient across the atomic vapor. This enables waveguiding of the weak VB for a couple of Rayleigh lengths. Further, the magnetic-field-induced anisotropy of the tripod system creates a difference in the refractive indices of its two components. This is the reason behind the polarization shaping of VB. The mechanism of efficient guiding of VB with controllable polarization may have important applications in high-density optical communication and quantum information.

Physical Review A•Jun 21, 2022•7 citations

Vector beam polarization rotation control using resonant magneto optics

Nilamoni Daloi, Tarak Nath Dey

Vector beam propagation through a four-level tripod atomic system has been investigated. The three transitions of the tripod atomic system are coupled by a strong control field and the two constituent orthogonally polarized components of a weak probe vector beam. An external magnetic field induces anisotropy, creating a difference in the refractive indices of the two polarization components of the beam. This difference in refractive indices varies with the magnetic field strength and directly relates to the polarization orientation at any transverse plane. Thus, the transverse polarization structure can be rotated as desired with appropriate magnetic field strength. We further study the effect of nonlinearity and inhomogeneous broadening on the vector beam's polarization rotation. Therefore, the mechanism of efficient polarization control and manipulation of a vector beam can open up a new avenue for high-resolution microscopy and high-density optical communications.

Optics Express•May 16, 2022•14 citations

Propagation of optical vector vortices of slow light in a coherently prepared tripod configuration

Dharma P. Permana, Mažena Mackoit Sinkevičienė, Julius Ruseckas +1 more

We investigate the propagation of optical vector vortices of slow light in a coherently prepared four-level tripod atomic system. The vector vortex consists of superposed pulse pairs with opposite circular polarizations and orbital angular momentum (OAM) charges $\pm l$, weakly interacting with an atomic medium initially prepared in a coherent superposition of two ground states. A third unoccupied state is coupled to a stronger control laser without OAM, creating a phase-dependent configuration. In the linear regime, the vortex OAM is mapped onto the medium, producing symmetrical azimuthally structured absorption patterns, with losses significantly reduced by the control field. For small detunings, complementary spatially dependent amplification and absorption occur for the two circular polarization components. This OAM-structured coherence induces a dynamical anisotropy, affecting both the intensity and polarization of the slow-light vortex. Polarization states evolve periodically between left-circular, linear, and right-circular polarizations during propagation. Once the beam reaches a stationary regime, the ring-shaped intensity transforms into a petal-like structure, and the final polarization states stabilize according to the initial superposition. The rate of polarization transitions is tunable via the control field strength, demonstrating flexible control over slow-light vector vortex dynamics.

quant-pharXiv:2603.23097•Chaos Solitons & Fractals•Mar 25, 2026•0 citations

Transfer and evolution of structured polarization in a double-V atomic system

Zhenzhu Li, Sonja Franke‐Arnold, Thomas W. Clark +3 more

We numerically investigate the transfer of optical information from a vector-vortex control beam to an unstructured probe beam, as mediated by an atomic vapour. The right and left circular components of these beams drive the atomic transitions of a double-V system, with the atoms acting as a spatially varying circular birefringent medium. Modeling the propagation of the light fields, we find that, for short distances, the vectorial light structure is transferred from the control field to the probe. However, for larger propagation lengths, diffraction causes the circular components of the probe field to spatially separate. We model this system for the D1 line of cold rubidium atoms and demonstrate that four wave mixing can lead to correlations between the optical polarization structure and the diffraction of light, generating coupled dynamics of the internal and external degrees of freedom.

arXiv:2203.05188•Optics Express•May 11, 2022•11 citations
We investigate the phase-induced susceptibilities for both components of the probe vector beam (PVB) within an atomic system. The atoms are prepared in a nondegenerate four-level configuration. The transitions are coupled by a \ensuremathπ\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremathπ polarized control field and two orthogonally polarized components of a PVB. We show that the linear susceptibility of the medium depends on the phase shift between the control field and PVB, characterizing loss or gain in the system. Additionally, the phase shift causes polarization rotation in the vector beams (VBs) as they propagate. We further study the effect of nonlinearity on the VB propagation through the medium for a couple of Rayleigh lengths. The self-focusing and defocusing phenomena are observed for radial, azimuthal, and spiral VBs. The special chain-like self-focusing and defocusing leads to the formation of consecutive smaller spot sizes with moderate gain. Therefore, the mechanism of control of susceptibility and self-focusing may hold promise for applications such as transitioning from an absorber to an amplifier, high-resolution microscopy, and optical trap systems.
We investigate the focusing characteristics of scalar and vector beams within an atomic medium. An active-Raman-gain configuration is employed to achieve significant Kerr nonlinearity in a four-state atomic system. The probe beams can attain focusing within the medium through careful selection of input beam intensities and the spatial profile of the control field. We analytically derive the linear and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities for both scalar and vector probe beams. Our observations indicate that, in addition to the energy transfer from the control beam to the probe beam, the giant cross-Kerr nonlinearity facilitates the focusing of the scalar probe beam into a significantly smaller spot size. Conversely, the vector probe beams exhibit gain-induced narrowing. Furthermore, we evaluate the state of polarization for the vector beam at the minimum beam waist, observing a polarization rotation and a change in ellipticity during propagation. Through the mechanism of focusing, we achieve a reduced spot size for the probe beam, which may have substantial implications for resolution enhancement in microscopy applications.
Vector beams (VBs) with potential applications are successfully utilized in many fields as light sources with a spatially-varying polarization profile in recent years. Here, we study the transmission of a VB by manipulating atomic polarization via the optical pumping effect. By using hybridly and radially polarized beams as pump and probe beams in a counter-propagating configuration, we observe a four-petal pattern intensity distribution of probe beam, and the four-petal pattern rotates with the polarization state orientation of the pump beam. The results show a polarization dependent absorption in the atomic media. We experimentally demonstrate the absorption characteristics under different polarization combinations of pump and probe beams. The Jones matrix method is used to explain this phenomenon and the simulations are consistent with the experimental observation. Our results may provide a sound foundation for applications in optical manipulation and quantum information in atomic ensembles.
We investigate a scheme to guide a weak vector beam using optically written waveguides inside atomic vapor, while controlling its polarization rotation. The atoms are prepared in the four-level tripod configuration in the presence of an external magnetic field. The three transitions of the tripod system are driven by a strong control beam and the two orthogonal polarization components of a weak vector beam (VB). A suitable spatial intensity profile and the detuning of the control field facilitate the generation of an optical fiberlike refractive index gradient across the atomic vapor. This enables waveguiding of the weak VB for a couple of Rayleigh lengths. Further, the magnetic-field-induced anisotropy of the tripod system creates a difference in the refractive indices of its two components. This is the reason behind the polarization shaping of VB. The mechanism of efficient guiding of VB with controllable polarization may have important applications in high-density optical communication and quantum information.
Vector beam propagation through a four-level tripod atomic system has been investigated. The three transitions of the tripod atomic system are coupled by a strong control field and the two constituent orthogonally polarized components of a weak probe vector beam. An external magnetic field induces anisotropy, creating a difference in the refractive indices of the two polarization components of the beam. This difference in refractive indices varies with the magnetic field strength and directly relates to the polarization orientation at any transverse plane. Thus, the transverse polarization structure can be rotated as desired with appropriate magnetic field strength. We further study the effect of nonlinearity and inhomogeneous broadening on the vector beam's polarization rotation. Therefore, the mechanism of efficient polarization control and manipulation of a vector beam can open up a new avenue for high-resolution microscopy and high-density optical communications.
We investigate the propagation of optical vector vortices of slow light in a coherently prepared four-level tripod atomic system. The vector vortex consists of superposed pulse pairs with opposite circular polarizations and orbital angular momentum (OAM) charges ±l\pm l±l, weakly interacting with an atomic medium initially prepared in a coherent superposition of two ground states. A third unoccupied state is coupled to a stronger control laser without OAM, creating a phase-dependent configuration. In the linear regime, the vortex OAM is mapped onto the medium, producing symmetrical azimuthally structured absorption patterns, with losses significantly reduced by the control field. For small detunings, complementary spatially dependent amplification and absorption occur for the two circular polarization components. This OAM-structured coherence induces a dynamical anisotropy, affecting both the intensity and polarization of the slow-light vortex. Polarization states evolve periodically between left-circular, linear, and right-circular polarizations during propagation. Once the beam reaches a stationary regime, the ring-shaped intensity transforms into a petal-like structure, and the final polarization states stabilize according to the initial superposition. The rate of polarization transitions is tunable via the control field strength, demonstrating flexible control over slow-light vector vortex dynamics.
We numerically investigate the transfer of optical information from a vector-vortex control beam to an unstructured probe beam, as mediated by an atomic vapour. The right and left circular components of these beams drive the atomic transitions of a double-V system, with the atoms acting as a spatially varying circular birefringent medium. Modeling the propagation of the light fields, we find that, for short distances, the vectorial light structure is transferred from the control field to the probe. However, for larger propagation lengths, diffraction causes the circular components of the probe field to spatially separate. We model this system for the D1 line of cold rubidium atoms and demonstrate that four wave mixing can lead to correlations between the optical polarization structure and the diffraction of light, generating coupled dynamics of the internal and external degrees of freedom.