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

Polarization-dependent deflection of slow light using an inhomogeneous control field

Pardeep Kumar, Shubhrangshu Dasgupta

Published Mar 16, 2016• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We study the angular deflection of the circular polarized components of a linearly polarized probe field in a weakly birefringent atomic system in tripod configuration. A spatially inhomogeneous control field incident obliquely onto an atomic vapor cell facilitates a large angular divergence between circular components. We show that the angular resolution can be dynamically controlled by optimally choosing the angle of incidence and the transverse profile of the control beam. For instance, by employing a Laguerre-Gaussian profile of the control field, one can impart a large angular divergence to the circular components close to the entry face of the atomic vapor cell. We further demonstrate how such a medium causes the focusing and refocusing of the probe field, thereby acting as a convex or a concave lens with multiple foci. The absorption in the medium remains negligible at resonance as a cumulative effect of coherent population oscillations (CPO) and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT).

Related papers

Light deflection by light: Effect of incidence angle and inhomogeneity

Pardeep Kumar, Shubhrangshu Dasgupta

We study the angular deflection of the circularly polarized components of a linearly polarized probe field in a weakly birefringent atomic system in tripod configuration. A spatially inhomogeneous control field incident obliquely onto an atomic vapor cell facilitates a large angular divergence between circular components. We show that the angular resolution can be dynamically controlled by optimally choosing the angle of incidence and the transverse profile of the control beam. For instance, by employing a Laguerre-Gaussian profile of the control field, one can impart a large angular divergence to the circular components close to the entry face of the atomic vapor cell. We further demonstrate how such a medium causes the focusing and refocusing of the probe field, thereby acting as a lens with multiple foci. The absorption in the medium remains negligible at resonance due to electromagnetically induced transparency.

arXiv:1603.05083•Physical Review A•Oct 24, 2016•2 citations

Selective Deflection of Polarized Light Via Coherently Driven Four-Level Atoms in a Double-Λ Configuration

Yu Guo

We study the interaction of a weak probe field, having two circular polarized components, i.e., σ − and σ + polarization, with an optically dense medium of four-level atoms in a double-Λ configuration, which is mediated by the electromagnetically induced transparency with a polarized control light with spatially inhomogeneous profile. We analyse the deflection of the polarized probe light and we find that we can selectively determine which circular component will be deflected after the polarized probe light enters the atom medium via adjusting the polarization and detuning of the control field.

Communications in Theoretical Physics•May 1, 2010•3 citations

Birefringence lens effects of an atom ensemble enhanced by an electromagnetically induced transparency

H. R. Zhang, Lan Zhou, C. P. Sun

We study the optical control for birefringence of a polarized light by an atomic ensemble with a tripod configuration, which is mediated by the electromagnetically induced transparency with a spatially inhomogeneous laser. The atomic ensemble splits the linearly polarized light ray into two orthogonally polarized components, whose polarizations depend on quantum superposition of the initial states of the atomic ensemble. Accompanied with this splitting, the atomic ensemble behaves as a birefringent lens, which allows one polarized light ray passing through straightly while focuses the other light of vertical polarization with finite aberration of focus.

arXiv:0901.0078•Physical Review A•Jul 16, 2009•15 citations

Deflection of slow light by magneto-optically controlled atomic media

D. L. Zhou, Lan Zhou, R. Q. Wang +2 more

We present a semiclassical theory for light deflection by a coherent $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type three-level atomic medium in an inhomogeneous magnetic field or an inhomogeneous control laser. When the atomic energy levels (or the Rabi coupling by the control laser) are position-dependent due to the Zeeman effect caused by the inhomogeneous magnetic field (or due to inhomogeneity of the control field profile), the spatial dependence of the refraction index of the atomic medium will result in an observable deflection of slow signal light when the electromagnetically induced transparency cancels medium absorption. Our theoretical approach based on Fermat's principle in geometrical optics not only provides a consistent explanation for the most recent experiment in a straightforward way, but also predicts the two-photon detuning dependent behaviors and larger deflection angles by three orders of magnitude for the slow signal light deflection by the atomic media in an inhomogeneous off-resonant control laser field.

arXiv:0705.1194•Physical Review A•Nov 8, 2007•27 citations

Propagation of optical vector vortices of slow light in a coherently prepared tripod configuration

Dharma P. Permana, Mažena Mackoit Sinkevičienė, Julius Ruseckas +1 more

We investigate the propagation of optical vector vortices of slow light in a coherently prepared four-level tripod atomic system. The vector vortex consists of superposed pulse pairs with opposite circular polarizations and orbital angular momentum (OAM) charges $\pm l$, weakly interacting with an atomic medium initially prepared in a coherent superposition of two ground states. A third unoccupied state is coupled to a stronger control laser without OAM, creating a phase-dependent configuration. In the linear regime, the vortex OAM is mapped onto the medium, producing symmetrical azimuthally structured absorption patterns, with losses significantly reduced by the control field. For small detunings, complementary spatially dependent amplification and absorption occur for the two circular polarization components. This OAM-structured coherence induces a dynamical anisotropy, affecting both the intensity and polarization of the slow-light vortex. Polarization states evolve periodically between left-circular, linear, and right-circular polarizations during propagation. Once the beam reaches a stationary regime, the ring-shaped intensity transforms into a petal-like structure, and the final polarization states stabilize according to the initial superposition. The rate of polarization transitions is tunable via the control field strength, demonstrating flexible control over slow-light vector vortex dynamics.

quant-pharXiv:2603.23097•Chaos Solitons & Fractals•Mar 25, 2026•0 citations

Controlled polarization rotation of an optical field in multi-Zeeman-sublevel atoms

Shujing Li, Bo Wang, Xudong Yang +4 more

We investigate, both theoretically and experimentally, the phenomenon of polarization rotation of a weak, linearly polarized optical (probe) field in an atomic system with multiple three-level electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) subsystems. The polarization rotation angle can be controlled by a circularly polarized coupling beam, which breaks the symmetry in number of EIT subsystems seen by the left and right circularly polarized components of the weak probe beam. A large polarization rotation angle (up to 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) has been achieved with a coupling beam power of only $15\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mW}$. Detailed theoretical analyses including different transition probabilities in different transitions and Doppler-broadening are presented and the results are in good agreements with the experimentally measured results.

arXiv:quant-ph/0608234•Physical Review A•Sep 27, 2006•62 citations
We study the angular deflection of the circular polarized components of a linearly polarized probe field in a weakly birefringent atomic system in tripod configuration. A spatially inhomogeneous control field incident obliquely onto an atomic vapor cell facilitates a large angular divergence between circular components. We show that the angular resolution can be dynamically controlled by optimally choosing the angle of incidence and the transverse profile of the control beam. For instance, by employing a Laguerre-Gaussian profile of the control field, one can impart a large angular divergence to the circular components close to the entry face of the atomic vapor cell. We further demonstrate how such a medium causes the focusing and refocusing of the probe field, thereby acting as a convex or a concave lens with multiple foci. The absorption in the medium remains negligible at resonance as a cumulative effect of coherent population oscillations (CPO) and electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT).
We study the angular deflection of the circularly polarized components of a linearly polarized probe field in a weakly birefringent atomic system in tripod configuration. A spatially inhomogeneous control field incident obliquely onto an atomic vapor cell facilitates a large angular divergence between circular components. We show that the angular resolution can be dynamically controlled by optimally choosing the angle of incidence and the transverse profile of the control beam. For instance, by employing a Laguerre-Gaussian profile of the control field, one can impart a large angular divergence to the circular components close to the entry face of the atomic vapor cell. We further demonstrate how such a medium causes the focusing and refocusing of the probe field, thereby acting as a lens with multiple foci. The absorption in the medium remains negligible at resonance due to electromagnetically induced transparency.
We study the interaction of a weak probe field, having two circular polarized components, i.e., σ − and σ + polarization, with an optically dense medium of four-level atoms in a double-Λ configuration, which is mediated by the electromagnetically induced transparency with a polarized control light with spatially inhomogeneous profile. We analyse the deflection of the polarized probe light and we find that we can selectively determine which circular component will be deflected after the polarized probe light enters the atom medium via adjusting the polarization and detuning of the control field.
We study the optical control for birefringence of a polarized light by an atomic ensemble with a tripod configuration, which is mediated by the electromagnetically induced transparency with a spatially inhomogeneous laser. The atomic ensemble splits the linearly polarized light ray into two orthogonally polarized components, whose polarizations depend on quantum superposition of the initial states of the atomic ensemble. Accompanied with this splitting, the atomic ensemble behaves as a birefringent lens, which allows one polarized light ray passing through straightly while focuses the other light of vertical polarization with finite aberration of focus.
We present a semiclassical theory for light deflection by a coherent $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type three-level atomic medium in an inhomogeneous magnetic field or an inhomogeneous control laser. When the atomic energy levels (or the Rabi coupling by the control laser) are position-dependent due to the Zeeman effect caused by the inhomogeneous magnetic field (or due to inhomogeneity of the control field profile), the spatial dependence of the refraction index of the atomic medium will result in an observable deflection of slow signal light when the electromagnetically induced transparency cancels medium absorption. Our theoretical approach based on Fermat's principle in geometrical optics not only provides a consistent explanation for the most recent experiment in a straightforward way, but also predicts the two-photon detuning dependent behaviors and larger deflection angles by three orders of magnitude for the slow signal light deflection by the atomic media in an inhomogeneous off-resonant control laser field.
We investigate the propagation of optical vector vortices of slow light in a coherently prepared four-level tripod atomic system. The vector vortex consists of superposed pulse pairs with opposite circular polarizations and orbital angular momentum (OAM) charges ±l\pm l±l, weakly interacting with an atomic medium initially prepared in a coherent superposition of two ground states. A third unoccupied state is coupled to a stronger control laser without OAM, creating a phase-dependent configuration. In the linear regime, the vortex OAM is mapped onto the medium, producing symmetrical azimuthally structured absorption patterns, with losses significantly reduced by the control field. For small detunings, complementary spatially dependent amplification and absorption occur for the two circular polarization components. This OAM-structured coherence induces a dynamical anisotropy, affecting both the intensity and polarization of the slow-light vortex. Polarization states evolve periodically between left-circular, linear, and right-circular polarizations during propagation. Once the beam reaches a stationary regime, the ring-shaped intensity transforms into a petal-like structure, and the final polarization states stabilize according to the initial superposition. The rate of polarization transitions is tunable via the control field strength, demonstrating flexible control over slow-light vector vortex dynamics.
We investigate, both theoretically and experimentally, the phenomenon of polarization rotation of a weak, linearly polarized optical (probe) field in an atomic system with multiple three-level electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) subsystems. The polarization rotation angle can be controlled by a circularly polarized coupling beam, which breaks the symmetry in number of EIT subsystems seen by the left and right circularly polarized components of the weak probe beam. A large polarization rotation angle (up to 45\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) has been achieved with a coupling beam power of only 15mW15\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mW}15mW. Detailed theoretical analyses including different transition probabilities in different transitions and Doppler-broadening are presented and the results are in good agreements with the experimentally measured results.