Greatly enhanced intensity-difference squeezing via energy-level modulations in hot atomic media
Da Zhang, Changbiao Li, Zhaoyang Zhang, Yiqi Zhang, Yanpeng Zhang, Min Xiao
Abstract
Narrow-band intensity-difference squeezing (IDS) beams have important applications in quantum metrology and quantum information. The best way to generate narrow-band IDS is to employ parametrically-amplified (PA) four-wave mixing (FWM) process in high-gain atomic media. Such IDS can be further enhanced by cascading multiple PA-FWM processes in separate atomic media. The complicated experimental setup, added losses and mechanical stability can limit the wide uses of such scheme in practical applications. Here, we show that by modulating/dressing the internal energy level(s) with additional laser(s), the degree of original IDS can be substantially increased. With an initial IDS of $-4.0\pm0.1$ dB using PA-non-degenerate-FWM process in a three-level $\Lambda$-type configuration, the degree of IDS can be enhanced to $-7.0\pm0.1$ dB/$-8.1\pm0.1$ dB when we use one/two laser beam(s) to modulate the involved ground/excited state(s). Our results show a low-loss, robust and efficient way to produce high degree of IDS and facilitate its potential applications.