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Towards Single Photon Nonlinearities using Cavity EIT

Z. Burkley

Published Jan 1, 2014• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

In third order nonlinear mediums, the intensity of one optical field can modify the phase of another optical field. This is known as cross-phase modulation (XPM) and is important for Quantum Information Processing (QIP) as phase shifts of single-photons that exceed π rad can be used to implement two-qubit quantum logic gates. For a conventional XPM scheme, the Kerr nonlinearity responsible for XPM is too small for appreciable phase shifts to be achieved with low intensity optical fields. However, Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) can increase this nonlinearity by several orders of magnitude. This thesis discusses the experimental construction of a laser-atomic system capable of EIT modulated XPM. This includes construction of a rubidium magneto-optical trap (RbMOT), characterization of this RbMOT, demonstration of EIT in the RbMOT, and a system capable of detecting optical phase shifts produced by EIT. The talk will conclude with an outlook on further implementations to the experiment that will increase this nonlinearity such that phase shifts at the single-photon level are possible. | 76 pages

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In this thesis I report the first experimental observation of an interaction between a postselected single photon and an electromagnetic field containing a few thousand photons.This is the first observation of the nonlinear interactions due to a single freely propagatingphoton. To achieve this pioneering result, we have theoretically and experimentally studied nonlinear optics at the few-photon level. To the best of our knowledge, the pulse energy levels used for our experiments are the lowest energies used for cross-phase modulation in free space.Photon-photon interaction is vanishingly weak; the strength of this interaction can be enhanced in the presence of a material medium as mediator. In our experiment, we use an atomic coherence effect, namely Electromagnetically-induced Transparency (EIT), to produce a `giant' nonlinear interaction between two optical fields. We have observed a nonlinear phase shift of 18 ± 4 µrad per freely propagating single photon. This is done by sending very weak coherent state pulses into the medium and subsequently detecting single photons, inferring the existence of a photon in the interaction region.The optical setup, electronics and software that have been developed during the completion of this thesis provide the basis for several exciting future light-matter interaction experiments. We have produced phase-stable laser beams to create EIT in our cold Rubidium sample prepared in a Magneto-optical Trap (MOT). The laser system and the improved MOT setup have been built to be stable so that we can do very long data acquisition runs. We also have develop ed to ols and software with high precision and stability such that we can measure phase shifts down to micro-radian level.

•Mar 1, 2015•1 citation

8-Port Homodyne Detection of EIT-Enhanced Cross-Phase Modulation Using Broadband Signal Pulses

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This thesis summarizes my work on the interactions between light and matter in the context of optical quantum information processing. I have designed and implemented a phase-sensitive detection scheme for optical-frequency electromagnetic fields, which has been used to measure μrad phase shifts on nanosecond timescales. This phase measurement was developed for the express purpose of detecting cross-phase modulation (XPM), a key ingredient in the construction of optical logic gates. I have implemented the 'N-scheme', a form of XPM which exploits electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) and which was promised to yield 'giant' optical nonlinearities sufficient for all-optical quantum information processing. Using a cloud of laser-cooled 85Rb atoms as the nonlinear medium, I present the first ever experimental study of EIT-enhanced XPM in the controversial regime of broadband signal pulses and spectrally narrow EIT windows. The results of this experiment constitute a breakdown of the original proposal for EIT-enhanced XPM. In light of these findings, I conclude with a theoretical analysis of the feasibility of using N-scheme as implemented in our lab to perform a non-demolition measurement of a single photon (a crucial step when using XPM to generate a universal optical logic gate). While possible in principle, the experimental conditions necessary to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio above unity are found to be practically unrealistic, suggesting a more sophisticated scheme is necessary.

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Memory-enhanced noiseless cross-phase modulation

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Large nonlinearity at the single-photon level can pave the way for the implementation of universal quantum gates. However, realizing large and noiseless nonlinearity at such low light levels has been a great challenge for scientists in the past decade. Here, we propose a scheme that enables substantial nonlinear interaction between two light fields that are both stored in an atomic memory. Semiclassical and quantum simulations demonstrate the feasibility of achieving large cross-phase modulation (XPM) down to the single-photon level. The proposed scheme can be used to implement parity gates from which CNOT gates can be constructed. Furthermore, we present a proof of principle experimental demonstration of XPM between two optical pulses: one stored and one freely propagating through the memory medium. Researchers have developed a new technique that shows promise for constructing optical quantum logic gates. Theoretical simulations performed by Mahdi Hosseini and co-workers from the Australian National University and Macquarie University in Australia show that inducing cross-phase modulation between two single-photon light fields stored in a rubidium atomic memory should provide large phase shifts and thus allow the realization of parity gates and CNOT gates, both of which are needed for quantum computing. The researchers estimate that using cold atoms confined in a dipole trap and short-duration single-photon wavepackets should make it possible to realize phase shifts of the order of 10 mrad — orders of magnitude larger than schemes that employ electromagnetically induced transparency.

arXiv:1112.2010•Light Science & Applications•Dec 7, 2012•58 citations

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This thesis presents theoretical derivations and experimental demonstrations of Kerr optical nonlinearities and their dynamics. The Kerr nonlinearity studied is based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), and is known for having an unusually large cross-phase modulation (XPM) [1]. Also, quantum nondemolition (QND) measurements of photon number using the EIT Kerr nonlinearity are discussed. We first discuss the EIT line shapes in hot atomic vapors both with and without buffer gasses, and for the specific case of EIT line shapes on the D1 line of rubidium. Using a Bloch-vector formalism to describe EIT, we derive new expressions describing the dynamical evolution of the EIT Kerr nonlinearity and the rise-time of the EIT Kerr effect. The theory of the EIT Kerr dynamics is confirmed by experiments using hot rubidium vapor in a buffer gas. These experimental observations confirm that the rise-time of the EIT Kerr effect is linearly proportional to the optical thickness of the EIT medium and inversely proportional to the width of the EIT transparency resonance.

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Optics Letters•Dec 1, 1996•1,176 citations
In third order nonlinear mediums, the intensity of one optical field can modify the phase of another optical field. This is known as cross-phase modulation (XPM) and is important for Quantum Information Processing (QIP) as phase shifts of single-photons that exceed π rad can be used to implement two-qubit quantum logic gates. For a conventional XPM scheme, the Kerr nonlinearity responsible for XPM is too small for appreciable phase shifts to be achieved with low intensity optical fields. However, Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) can increase this nonlinearity by several orders of magnitude. This thesis discusses the experimental construction of a laser-atomic system capable of EIT modulated XPM. This includes construction of a rubidium magneto-optical trap (RbMOT), characterization of this RbMOT, demonstration of EIT in the RbMOT, and a system capable of detecting optical phase shifts produced by EIT. The talk will conclude with an outlook on further implementations to the experiment that will increase this nonlinearity such that phase shifts at the single-photon level are possible. | 76 pages
In this thesis I report the first experimental observation of an interaction between a postselected single photon and an electromagnetic field containing a few thousand photons.This is the first observation of the nonlinear interactions due to a single freely propagatingphoton. To achieve this pioneering result, we have theoretically and experimentally studied nonlinear optics at the few-photon level. To the best of our knowledge, the pulse energy levels used for our experiments are the lowest energies used for cross-phase modulation in free space.Photon-photon interaction is vanishingly weak; the strength of this interaction can be enhanced in the presence of a material medium as mediator. In our experiment, we use an atomic coherence effect, namely Electromagnetically-induced Transparency (EIT), to produce a `giant' nonlinear interaction between two optical fields. We have observed a nonlinear phase shift of 18 ± 4 µrad per freely propagating single photon. This is done by sending very weak coherent state pulses into the medium and subsequently detecting single photons, inferring the existence of a photon in the interaction region.The optical setup, electronics and software that have been developed during the completion of this thesis provide the basis for several exciting future light-matter interaction experiments. We have produced phase-stable laser beams to create EIT in our cold Rubidium sample prepared in a Magneto-optical Trap (MOT). The laser system and the improved MOT setup have been built to be stable so that we can do very long data acquisition runs. We also have develop ed to ols and software with high precision and stability such that we can measure phase shifts down to micro-radian level.
This thesis summarizes my work on the interactions between light and matter in the context of optical quantum information processing. I have designed and implemented a phase-sensitive detection scheme for optical-frequency electromagnetic fields, which has been used to measure μrad phase shifts on nanosecond timescales. This phase measurement was developed for the express purpose of detecting cross-phase modulation (XPM), a key ingredient in the construction of optical logic gates. I have implemented the 'N-scheme', a form of XPM which exploits electromagnetically-induced transparency (EIT) and which was promised to yield 'giant' optical nonlinearities sufficient for all-optical quantum information processing. Using a cloud of laser-cooled 85Rb atoms as the nonlinear medium, I present the first ever experimental study of EIT-enhanced XPM in the controversial regime of broadband signal pulses and spectrally narrow EIT windows. The results of this experiment constitute a breakdown of the original proposal for EIT-enhanced XPM. In light of these findings, I conclude with a theoretical analysis of the feasibility of using N-scheme as implemented in our lab to perform a non-demolition measurement of a single photon (a crucial step when using XPM to generate a universal optical logic gate). While possible in principle, the experimental conditions necessary to achieve a signal-to-noise ratio above unity are found to be practically unrealistic, suggesting a more sophisticated scheme is necessary.
Large nonlinearity at the single-photon level can pave the way for the implementation of universal quantum gates. However, realizing large and noiseless nonlinearity at such low light levels has been a great challenge for scientists in the past decade. Here, we propose a scheme that enables substantial nonlinear interaction between two light fields that are both stored in an atomic memory. Semiclassical and quantum simulations demonstrate the feasibility of achieving large cross-phase modulation (XPM) down to the single-photon level. The proposed scheme can be used to implement parity gates from which CNOT gates can be constructed. Furthermore, we present a proof of principle experimental demonstration of XPM between two optical pulses: one stored and one freely propagating through the memory medium. Researchers have developed a new technique that shows promise for constructing optical quantum logic gates. Theoretical simulations performed by Mahdi Hosseini and co-workers from the Australian National University and Macquarie University in Australia show that inducing cross-phase modulation between two single-photon light fields stored in a rubidium atomic memory should provide large phase shifts and thus allow the realization of parity gates and CNOT gates, both of which are needed for quantum computing. The researchers estimate that using cold atoms confined in a dipole trap and short-duration single-photon wavepackets should make it possible to realize phase shifts of the order of 10 mrad — orders of magnitude larger than schemes that employ electromagnetically induced transparency.
This thesis presents theoretical derivations and experimental demonstrations of Kerr optical nonlinearities and their dynamics. The Kerr nonlinearity studied is based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), and is known for having an unusually large cross-phase modulation (XPM) [1]. Also, quantum nondemolition (QND) measurements of photon number using the EIT Kerr nonlinearity are discussed. We first discuss the EIT line shapes in hot atomic vapors both with and without buffer gasses, and for the specific case of EIT line shapes on the D1 line of rubidium. Using a Bloch-vector formalism to describe EIT, we derive new expressions describing the dynamical evolution of the EIT Kerr nonlinearity and the rise-time of the EIT Kerr effect. The theory of the EIT Kerr dynamics is confirmed by experiments using hot rubidium vapor in a buffer gas. These experimental observations confirm that the rise-time of the EIT Kerr effect is linearly proportional to the optical thickness of the EIT medium and inversely proportional to the width of the EIT transparency resonance.
We report on the direct measurement of low-light-level cross-phase modulation (XPM) based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in the pulsed regime. A phase shift of 0.02 rad of a probe pulse modulated by a signal pulse with a peak intensity of 3 $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\mu}}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ was observed, which is the lowest intensity ever achieved for the N-type EIT-based XPM system. The experimental data make a quantitative prediction of the single-photon-level XPM phase shift arising from two interacting pulses with unequal group velocities that is consistent with the theoretical predictions proposed by Harris and Hau [Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 4611 (1999)]. Furthermore, a proof-of-principle experiment demonstrating an enhancement of the nonlinear optical Kerr effect by shining the signal pulse twice is presented.