Development of fluctuations in propagation of coherent light in a gas. I

F. A. Vorob'ev, R. I. Sokolovskiǐ

B. A. Veklenko

L. V. Gerasimov, Igor M. Sokolov, Dmitriy V. Kupriyanov +2 more

We show that coherent multiple light scattering, or diffuse light propagation, in a disordered atomic media prepared at ultralow temperatures can be effectively delayed in the presence of a strong control field initiating a stimulated Raman process. On a relatively short time scale, when the atomic system can preserve its configuration and effects of atomic motion can be ignored, the scattered signal pulse, diffusely propagating via multiple coherent scattering through the media, can be stored in the spin subsystem through its stimulated Raman-type conversion into spin coherence. We demonstrate how this mechanism, potentially interesting for developing quantum memories, would work for the example of a coherent light pulse propagating through an alkali-metal atomic vapor under typical conditions attainable in experiments with ultracold atoms.

Izo I. Abram, E. Cohen

We develop a travelling-wave formulation of the theory of quantum optics and apply it to the description of the self-phase modulation of a short coherent pulse of light. The infinite nonlinear phase shift that is produced by the vacuum fluctuations is treated, within our approach, through a renormalization procedure. The renormalized theory successfully describes the nonlinear chirp that the pulse undergoes in the course of its propagation and permits the calculation of the squeezing characteristics of self-phase modulation.

C. K. Rhodes

A. P. Kazantsev