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Optics Express

Research of far-field diffraction intensity pattern in hot atomic Rb sample

Ying Zhang, Xuemei Cheng, Xunli Yin, Jintao Bai, Pei Zhao, Zhaoyu Ren

Published Feb 23, 2015• 29 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In this work we present a study of the far-field diffraction intensity patterns in the Rb atomic medium. It is found that the far-field diffraction intensity patterns are intimately related to the incident frequency, power, the atomic number density and the position of the sample. The results demonstrate that the far-field diffraction intensity patterns can sensitively reflect the nonlinear optical properties of the medium. The information obtained is of meaning in the application fields, such as the nonlinearity of the medium measuring, optical limiting.

DOI
10.1364/oe.23.005468

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In this work we present a study of the far-field diffraction intensity patterns in the Rb atomic medium. It is found that the far-field diffraction intensity patterns are intimately related to the incident frequency, power, the atomic number density and the position of the sample. The results demonstrate that the far-field diffraction intensity patterns can sensitively reflect the nonlinear optical properties of the medium. The information obtained is of meaning in the application fields, such as the nonlinearity of the medium measuring, optical limiting.
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Abstract Nonlinear optics has been a very dynamic field of research with spectacular phenomena discovered mainly after the invention of lasers. The combination of high intensity fields with resonant systems has further enhanced the nonlinearity with specific additional effects related to the resonances. In this paper we review a limited range of these effects which has been studied in the past decades using close-to-room-temperature atomic vapors as the nonlinear resonant medium. In particular we describe four-wave mixing and generation of nonclassical light in atomic vapors. One-and two-mode squeezing as well as photon correlations are discussed. Furthermore, we present some applications for optical and quantum memories based on hot atomic vapors. Finally, we present results on the recently developed field of quantum fluids of light using hot atomic vapors.
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Characterizing the nonlinear optical properties of numerous materials plays a prerequisite role in nonlinear imaging and quantum sensing. Here, we present the evaluation of the nonlinear optical properties of Rb vapor by the Gaussian-Bessel beam assisted z-scan method. Owed to the concentrated energy in the central waist spot and the constant intensity of the beam distribution, the Gaussian-Bessel beam enables enhanced sensitivity for nonlinear refractive index measurement. The nonlinear self-focusing and self-defocusing effects of the Rb vapor are illustrated in the case of blue and red frequency detunings from 5S1/2 − 5P3/2 transition, respectively. The complete images of the evolution of nonlinear optical properties with laser power and frequency detuning are acquired. Furthermore, the nonlinear refractive index n2 with a large scale of 10−6 cm2/W is determined from the measured transmittance peak-to-valley difference of z-scan curves, which is enhanced by a factor of ∼ 1.73 compared to the result of a equivalent Gaussian beam. Our research provides an effective method for measuring nonlinear refractive index, which will considerably enrich the application range of nonlinear material.
Cold atomic clouds constitute highly resonant nonlinear optical media, whose refractive index can easily be tuned via the light frequency. When subjected to a retroreflected laser beam and under appropriate conditions, the cloud undergoes spontaneous symmetry breaking, and spatial patterns develop in the transverse cross section of the beam. We investigate the impact of the sign of the light detuning from the atomic resonance on these patterns, thus directly comparing pattern formation for self-focusing and self-defocusing nonlinearities. Our observations emphasize the need for a ``diffractively thick'' medium description of the light-cloud interaction in which diffraction and nonlinear propagation inside the sample are taken into account.