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

Optics Express

All-optical switching in an N-type four-level atom-cavity system

Jiteng Sheng, Xihua Yang, Utsab Khadka, Min Xiao

Published Aug 16, 2011• 46 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We report an experimental observation of all-optical switching in an N-type atom-cavity system with a rubidium atomic vapor cell inside an optical ring cavity. Both absorptive and dispersive switching can be realized on dark- or bright-polariton peaks by a weak switching laser beam (with the extinction ratio better than 20:1). The switching mechanism can be explained as the combination of quantum interference and intracavity dispersion properties.

DOI
10.1364/oe.19.017059

Related papers

Observation of Intracavity Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and Polariton Resonances in a Doppler-Broadened Medium

Haibin Wu, Julio R. Gea-Banacloche, Min Xiao

The transmission spectrum of three-level atoms in a vapor cell inside an optical cavity shows distinct peaks associated with atom-cavity polaritons in the system. We develop the theory of these resonances in a Doppler-broadened medium and present the results of experimental observations of these spectra in three-level Lambda-type rubidium atoms inside an optical ring cavity.

Physical Review Letters•May 2, 2008•136 citations

Double-cavity optical bistability and all-optical switching in four-level N-type atomic system

Yu-Yuan Chen, Yanan Li, Ren-Gang Wan

We analyze the absorptive and hybrid absorptive–dispersive double-cavity optical bistability behavior in a four-level N-type atomic system driven by two optical fields circulating inside two independently unidirectional ring cavities and a trigger field outside the cavities. In this system, the two-photon absorption and cross Kerr nonlinearity play significant roles in the formation of bistability and can be controlled efficiently due to the quantum interference effect, and then the resulting nonlinear behavior exhibits different features from the two/three-level schemes. It is shown that the threshold values and hysteresis cycle width of the bistable curve can be manipulated via the adjustment of the system parameters. Meanwhile, we also obtain double-beam optical multistability. When adding positive and negative pulses to the cavity input, all-optical steady-state switching for the two cavity outputs can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, the proposed scheme may have potential applications in all-optical communication and computing.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•May 1, 2018•9 citations

Controlling light by light with three-level atoms inside an optical cavity

Hai Wang, David J. Goorskey, Min Xiao

We present our experimental demonstration of controlling the cavity output intensity of one laser beam with the intensity of another laser beam in a composite system consisting of a collection of three-level ?-type rubidium atoms and an optical ring cavity. When the intensity of the controlling beam is modulated with a square waveform, the cavity output power switches on and off (with a distinction ratio better than 20:1) between two steady-state values. This all-optical switching effect is the result of combined absorption and enhanced Kerr nonlinearity near resonance in such three-level atomic systems because of atomic coherence and can find applications in optical communication and optical computation.

Optics Letters•Aug 1, 2002•55 citations

Nonlinear optical effects in N-type four-level atom-cavity systems

Jiteng Sheng, Min Xiao

We experimentally study the nonlinear optical behaviors of N-type four-level atomic systems inside an optical cavity. These nonlinear effects include two-photon absorption, splitting of dark polariton, modified self-Kerr nonlinearity, Raman amplification, and white-light cavity.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Jan 1, 2012•0 citations

Observation of Interference between Bright- and Dark-polariton Peaks

Jiteng Sheng, Haibin Wu, Julio R. Gea-Banacloche +1 more

We experimentally investigate atom-cavity transmission spectra with three-level atoms inside an optical cavity. At large cavity frequency detuning, the bright- and dark-polariton three-peak structure becomes asymmetric and the peaks can merge together to create interference.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•Jan 1, 2010•0 citations

Polariton spectroscopy of three-level atoms inside an optical cavity

Julio R. Gea-Banacloche, Haibin Wu, Min Xiao

Distinct peaks associated with atom-cavity polaritons are observed in the transmission spectrum of three-level rubidium atoms in an optically-dense vapor cell inside an optical ring cavity.

Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics•May 4, 2008•0 citations
We report an experimental observation of all-optical switching in an N-type atom-cavity system with a rubidium atomic vapor cell inside an optical ring cavity. Both absorptive and dispersive switching can be realized on dark- or bright-polariton peaks by a weak switching laser beam (with the extinction ratio better than 20:1). The switching mechanism can be explained as the combination of quantum interference and intracavity dispersion properties.
We analyze the absorptive and hybrid absorptive–dispersive double-cavity optical bistability behavior in a four-level N-type atomic system driven by two optical fields circulating inside two independently unidirectional ring cavities and a trigger field outside the cavities. In this system, the two-photon absorption and cross Kerr nonlinearity play significant roles in the formation of bistability and can be controlled efficiently due to the quantum interference effect, and then the resulting nonlinear behavior exhibits different features from the two/three-level schemes. It is shown that the threshold values and hysteresis cycle width of the bistable curve can be manipulated via the adjustment of the system parameters. Meanwhile, we also obtain double-beam optical multistability. When adding positive and negative pulses to the cavity input, all-optical steady-state switching for the two cavity outputs can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, the proposed scheme may have potential applications in all-optical communication and computing.
We present our experimental demonstration of controlling the cavity output intensity of one laser beam with the intensity of another laser beam in a composite system consisting of a collection of three-level ?-type rubidium atoms and an optical ring cavity. When the intensity of the controlling beam is modulated with a square waveform, the cavity output power switches on and off (with a distinction ratio better than 20:1) between two steady-state values. This all-optical switching effect is the result of combined absorption and enhanced Kerr nonlinearity near resonance in such three-level atomic systems because of atomic coherence and can find applications in optical communication and optical computation.