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Physical Review A

Cascaded optical cavities with two-level atoms: Steady state

J. Gripp, S. L. Mielke, Luis A. Orozco

Published Jun 1, 1995• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We have experimentally studied the steady-state characteristics of a cascaded quantum-optical system. The conceptually simple apparatus consists of a pair of high finesse cavities traversed by a beam of optically prepared two-level atoms. The output from the first cavity is coupled through a unidirectional device into the second cavity. The experimental results show quantitative agreement with a model that takes into account the geometric factors of the cavity modes and treats the two-level atoms as being purely radiatively broadened.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.51.4974

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We have experimentally studied the steady-state characteristics of a cascaded quantum-optical system. The conceptually simple apparatus consists of a pair of high finesse cavities traversed by a beam of optically prepared two-level atoms. The output from the first cavity is coupled through a unidirectional device into the second cavity. The experimental results show quantitative agreement with a model that takes into account the geometric factors of the cavity modes and treats the two-level atoms as being purely radiatively broadened.
For the most part, quantum statistical processes in quantum optics are investigated in a weak-coupling regime, but it has become possible recently to realize experimentally optical systems for which the internal coupling coefficient g is comparable to the external dissipative rates. Within, this context, the subject of our investigation is the quantum dynamical processes for a small collection of N two-state atoms strongly coupled to a single mode of a high-finesse optical cavity. For this system, we record input-output characteristics for steady-state operation with 3 ⪝ N ⪝ 65 intracavity atoms and observe optical bistability for N⪞15 atoms.1
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.
Observations of optical bistability are reported for a system composed of multiple atomic beams passing through a high-finesse optical cavity. Both the transmitted power and the intracavity fluorescent intensity have been recorded as functions of incident laser power for zero cavity and atomic detunings. A quantitative study has been made of the evolution of the steady-state switching intensities from well below the critical onset of bistability to well above this point. The results show reasonable agreement with a Gaussian-beam theory of optical bistability, but systematic departures are noted.
We study the time response of a quantum optical system to a step excitation. The system is composed of a collection of N two-level atoms coupled to a single mode of the electromagnetic field of an optical cavity. The size of the step excitation is not limited to the low-intensity regime. Before the system reaches steady state there is an oscillatory exchange of energy between the atoms and the cavity. We compare the experimental results quantitatively with theoretical calculations and with previous transmission spectroscopy measurements.
Experimental and theoretical investigations of the radiative processes of a collection of two-state atoms contained in a high-finesse optical cavity are reported. To make contact with previous work on this subject, we consider the usual regimens in which either the cavity or the atomic damping is dominant. However, of greater interest and relevance to our experiments is the regime of strong coupling that generates splittings and new features in the normal-mode structure of the composite atom-field system. We identify possible mechanisms for producing line shapes with subnatural linewidths. Our experimental investigations are conducted with two-state sodium atoms that interact with a single mode of an ultra-high-finesse optical cavity. The incoherent spectral density of the transmitted field is detected by optical heterodyne. We obtain good qualitative agreement between theory and experiment for the general features of the composite atom-field system as manifested in the spectral density of the transmitted field. Experiments to probe the response of the system to weak modulation of the incident field are in progress.