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Laser & Photonics Review

Efficient and Tunable Photoinduced Honeycomb Lattice in an Atomic Ensemble

Feng Wen, Xun Zhang, Huapeng Ye, Wei Wang, Hongxing Wang, Yanpeng Zhang, Zhiping Dai, Cheng‐Wei Qiu

Published Jun 10, 2018• 32 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract Artificial periodic structures (APS) with controllable optical properties are highly demanded in all‐optical devices and circuits in communication networks. However, APS realized in solid materials are usually non‐tunable and inherently possess immutable photonic bandgap. In this article, a novel honeycomb lattice in an atomic ensemble by utilizing the multi‐beam interference method is reported. Unlike the honeycomb lattice formed in solid materials, the optical properties of this photoinduced honeycomb lattice, such as the absorption/dispersion coefficients and the photonic bandgap can be efficiently tuned by two‐photon detuning and Rabi frequency, resulting in both amplitude‐ and phase‐ type honeycomb lattice. Based on the two‐photon quantum‐imaging method, the near‐field diffraction of the honeycomb lattice is also investigated. It is found that the resolution of the diffraction pattern is tunable by simply adjusting the manner of the two detectors scanning across the imaging beams. In addition, the contrast of the pattern can be greatly enhanced by tuning the optical properties of the lattice. Such an optical honeycomb lattice with tunable properties could find applications in all‐optical switching at the few photons level and paves the way for the generation and manipulation of optical topological insulators.

DOI
10.1002/lpor.201800050

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Conventional periodic structures usually have nontunable refractive indices and thus lead to immutable photonic bandgaps. A periodic structure created in an ultracold atoms ensemble by externally controlled light can overcome this disadvantage and enable lots of promising applications. Here, two novel types of optically induced square lattices, i.e., the amplitude and phase lattices, are proposed in an ultracold atoms ensemble by interfering four ordinary plane waves under different parameter conditions. We demonstrate that in the far-field regime, the atomic amplitude lattice with high transmissivity behaves similarly to an ideal pure sinusoidal amplitude lattice, whereas the atomic phase lattices capable of producing phase excursion across a weak probe beam along with high transmissivity remains equally ideal. Moreover, we identify that the quality of Talbot imaging about a phase lattice is greatly improved when compared with an amplitude lattice. Such an atomic lattice could find applications in all-optical switching at the few photons level and paves the way for imaging ultracold atoms or molecules both in the near-field and in the far-field with a nondestructive and lensless approach.
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All-optical devices used to process optical signals without electro-optical conversion plays a vital role in the next generation of optical information processing systems. We demonstrate an efficient all-optical modulator that utilizes a periodic dielectric atomic lattice produced in a gas of 85 Rb vapor. Four orders of diffraction patterns are observed when a probe laser is passed through the lattice. The frequency shift of the peak of each diffraction order can be tuned by adjusting the control laser power and two-photon detuning, enabling this device to be used as a multi-channel all-optical modulator. Both theoretical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that this modulator can operate over a frequency band extending from about 0 to 60 MHz. This work may pave the way for studying quantum information processing and quantum networking proposed in atomic ensembles.
Abstract We investigate the steady-state optical response of a multilevel atomic ensemble with closed loops captured in a one-dimensional ordered optical lattice, and achieve a phase tunable multiphoton bandgap structure. The results indicate that the absorption and dispersion of the probe field are highly sensitive to the relative phase of the closed loop structure, so the number and width of transparent windows depend on the relative phase. Therefore, on the basis of electromagnetic induction transparency technology, the number and position of photon bandgaps can be periodically modulated by changing the relative phase. In addition, significant multiphoton bandgap structures can be obtained by selecting the appropriate strength of the microwave field and the coupling field.
We have experimentally demonstrated the realization of an instantaneously reconfigurable Lieb photonic lattice with a flatband in a three-level Λ-type rubidium atomic configuration. Such a coherently controllable Lieb photonic lattice is optically induced by a coupling field possessing a spatially periodic intensity distribution (generated via a spatial light modulator) under the condition of electromagnetically induced transparency. The incident weak Gaussian probe field can experience discrete diffraction and the observed probe beam at the output surface of the medium exhibits the same Lieb pattern, verifying the formation of the refractive index with a Lieb profile inside the atomic vapor cell. The potential wells and the band structure of the Lieb photonic lattice can be effectively manipulated by easily tuning the frequency of the involved laser beams. The current work can promisingly pave the way for exploring the exotic dynamics as well as tunable photonic devices in Lieb photonic lattices.