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

Long-range atomic interactions for novel quantum technologies

Nicholas Furtak-Wells

Published Jun 7, 2019• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Atomic interactions have a wide range of potential applications in quantum technology but are, unfortunately, usually relatively short-range. In this thesis a novel approach to quantising the electromagnetic field in the presence of two-sided semi-transparent mirrors with finite transmission, reflection and absorption rates is presented. The image-detector method allows one to correctly reproduce the appropriate dynamics of wave packets in the presence of semi-transparent mirrors by mapping onto analogous free-space scenarios meaning photons are characterised as they are in free space. Moreover, radiating atoms in the presence of semi-transparent mirrors exhibit modified spontaneous emission rates due to boundary conditions imposed on the electromagnetic field. Through the image-detector method mirror-mediated dipole-dipole interactions are predicted which modify atomic spontaneous emission rates. The spontaneous emission rates explicitly depend on the optical properties of the semi-transparent mirror and these mirror-mediated dipole-dipole interactions are considered to be long range, as atoms placed several wavelengths from the mirror still exhibit modified spontaneous emission rates. In addition, the model readily extends to describe optical cavities. The results presented in this thesis are expected to pave the way for the modelling of more complex scenarios and for designing novel photonic devices for quantum technology applications, such as non-invasive glucose-sensing technology.

Related papers

Spontaneous emission of an atomic dipole near a semi-transparent mirror in free space

Benjamin Dawson, Nicholas Furtak-Wells, Thomas Mann +2 more

Atom-field interactions near optical interfaces have a wide range of applications in quantum technology. Motivated by this, this paper revisits the spontaneous emission of atomic dipoles in the presence of a two sided semi-transparent mirror. First we review the main properties of the quantised electromagnetic field near a semitransparent mirror. To do so, we employ a quantum mirror image detector method which maps the experimental setup which we consider here onto analogous free space scenarios. We emphasise that the local density of states of the electromagnetic field depends on the reflection rates of both sides of the mirror surface. Hence it is not surprising that also the spontaneous decay rate of an atomic dipole in front of a semi-transparent mirror depends on both reflectance rates. Although the effect which we describe here only holds for relatively short atom-mirror distances, it can aid the design of novel photonics devices.

SPIE Nanophotonics•Apr 1, 2020•1 citation

Spontaneous emission of atomic dipoles near two-sided semi-transparent mirrors

Dawson, Benjamin, Nicholas Furtak-Wells, Thomas Mann +2 more

Atom-field interactions near optical interfaces have a wide range of applications in quantum technology. Motivated by this, this paper revisits the spontaneous emission of atomic dipoles in the presence of a two sided semi-transparent mirror. First we review the main properties of the quantised electromagnetic field near a semi-transparent mirror. To do so, we employ a quantum mirror image detector method which maps the experimental setup which we consider here onto analogous free space scenarios. We emphasise that the local density of states of the electromagnetic field depends on the reflection rates of both sides of the mirror surface. Hence it is not surprising that also the spontaneous decay rate of an atomic dipole in front of a semi-transparent mirror depends on both reflectance rates. Although the effect which we describe here only holds for relatively short atom-mirror distances, it can aid the design of novel photonics devices.

arXiv:2004.10897•Apr 22, 2020•0 citations

Mirror-mediated ultralong-range atomic dipole-dipole interactions

Nicholas Furtak-Wells, Dawson, Benjamin, Mann, Thomas +2 more

In three dimensions, dipole-dipole interactions which alter atomic level shifts and spontaneous decay rates only persist over distances comparable to the wavelength of the emitted light. In this paper we show that it is possible to significantly extend the range of these interactions with the help of a partially transparent asymmetric mirror interface. Suppose two two-level atoms are placed on opposite sides of the interface, each at the position of the mirror image of the other. In this case, their emitted light interferes almost exactly as it would when the atoms are right next to each other. Hence their dipole-dipole interaction assumes an additional maximum, even when the actual distance of the atoms is several orders of magnitude larger than the transition wavelength. Although the resulting ultralong-range interactions are in general relatively weak, we expect them to find applications in quantum technology, like non-invasive quantum sensing.

arXiv:2305.18826•May 30, 2023•0 citations

Mirror-mediated ultralong-range atomic dipole-dipole interactions

Nicholas Furtak-Wells, Benjamin Dawson, Thomas Mann +2 more

Abstract In three dimensions, dipole-dipole interactions which alter atomic level shifts and spontaneous decay rates only persist over distances comparable to the wavelength of the emitted light. To provide novel tools for quantum technology applications, like quantum sensing, many attempts have been made to extend the range of these interactions. In this paper we show that such an extension can be achieved with the help of partially transparent asymmetric mirror interfaces without involving negative refractive index metamaterials. Suppose two atoms are placed on opposite sides of the interface, each at the position of the mirror image of the other. In this case, their emitted light interferes exactly as it would when the atoms are right next to each other. Hence their dipole-dipole interaction assumes an additional maximum, even when the actual distance of the atoms is several orders of magnitude larger than their transition wavelength.

•Apr 4, 2024•0 citations

Quantizing the electromagnetic field near two-sided semitransparent mirrors

Nicholas Furtak-Wells, Lewis A. Clark, Robert Purdy +1 more

© 2018 American Physical Society. This paper models light scattering through flat surfaces with finite transmission, reflection, and absorption rates, with wave packets approaching the mirror from both sides. While using the same notion of photons as in free space, our model also accounts for the presence of mirror images and the possible exchange of energy between the electromagnetic field and the mirror surface. To test our model, we derive the spontaneous decay rate and the level shift of an atom in front of a semitransparent mirror as a function of its transmission and reflection rates. When considering limiting cases and using standard approximations, our approach reproduces well-known results but it also paves the way for the modeling of more complex scenarios.

•Apr 13, 2018•0 citations

Quantizing the electromagnetic field near two-sided semitransparent mirrors

Nicholas Furtak-Wells, Lewis A. Clark, Robert Purdy +1 more

This paper models light scattering through flat surfaces with finite transmission, reflection, and absorption rates, with wave packets approaching the mirror from both sides. While using the same notion of photons as in free space, our model also accounts for the presence of mirror images and the possible exchange of energy between the electromagnetic field and the mirror surface. To test our model, we derive the spontaneous decay rate and the level shift of an atom in front of a semitransparent mirror as a function of its transmission and reflection rates. When considering limiting cases and using standard approximations, our approach reproduces well-known results but it also paves the way for the modeling of more complex scenarios.

arXiv:1704.02898•Physical Review A•Apr 13, 2018•14 citations
Atomic interactions have a wide range of potential applications in quantum technology but are, unfortunately, usually relatively short-range. In this thesis a novel approach to quantising the electromagnetic field in the presence of two-sided semi-transparent mirrors with finite transmission, reflection and absorption rates is presented. The image-detector method allows one to correctly reproduce the appropriate dynamics of wave packets in the presence of semi-transparent mirrors by mapping onto analogous free-space scenarios meaning photons are characterised as they are in free space. Moreover, radiating atoms in the presence of semi-transparent mirrors exhibit modified spontaneous emission rates due to boundary conditions imposed on the electromagnetic field. Through the image-detector method mirror-mediated dipole-dipole interactions are predicted which modify atomic spontaneous emission rates. The spontaneous emission rates explicitly depend on the optical properties of the semi-transparent mirror and these mirror-mediated dipole-dipole interactions are considered to be long range, as atoms placed several wavelengths from the mirror still exhibit modified spontaneous emission rates. In addition, the model readily extends to describe optical cavities. The results presented in this thesis are expected to pave the way for the modelling of more complex scenarios and for designing novel photonic devices for quantum technology applications, such as non-invasive glucose-sensing technology.
Atom-field interactions near optical interfaces have a wide range of applications in quantum technology. Motivated by this, this paper revisits the spontaneous emission of atomic dipoles in the presence of a two sided semi-transparent mirror. First we review the main properties of the quantised electromagnetic field near a semitransparent mirror. To do so, we employ a quantum mirror image detector method which maps the experimental setup which we consider here onto analogous free space scenarios. We emphasise that the local density of states of the electromagnetic field depends on the reflection rates of both sides of the mirror surface. Hence it is not surprising that also the spontaneous decay rate of an atomic dipole in front of a semi-transparent mirror depends on both reflectance rates. Although the effect which we describe here only holds for relatively short atom-mirror distances, it can aid the design of novel photonics devices.
Atom-field interactions near optical interfaces have a wide range of applications in quantum technology. Motivated by this, this paper revisits the spontaneous emission of atomic dipoles in the presence of a two sided semi-transparent mirror. First we review the main properties of the quantised electromagnetic field near a semi-transparent mirror. To do so, we employ a quantum mirror image detector method which maps the experimental setup which we consider here onto analogous free space scenarios. We emphasise that the local density of states of the electromagnetic field depends on the reflection rates of both sides of the mirror surface. Hence it is not surprising that also the spontaneous decay rate of an atomic dipole in front of a semi-transparent mirror depends on both reflectance rates. Although the effect which we describe here only holds for relatively short atom-mirror distances, it can aid the design of novel photonics devices.
In three dimensions, dipole-dipole interactions which alter atomic level shifts and spontaneous decay rates only persist over distances comparable to the wavelength of the emitted light. In this paper we show that it is possible to significantly extend the range of these interactions with the help of a partially transparent asymmetric mirror interface. Suppose two two-level atoms are placed on opposite sides of the interface, each at the position of the mirror image of the other. In this case, their emitted light interferes almost exactly as it would when the atoms are right next to each other. Hence their dipole-dipole interaction assumes an additional maximum, even when the actual distance of the atoms is several orders of magnitude larger than the transition wavelength. Although the resulting ultralong-range interactions are in general relatively weak, we expect them to find applications in quantum technology, like non-invasive quantum sensing.
Abstract In three dimensions, dipole-dipole interactions which alter atomic level shifts and spontaneous decay rates only persist over distances comparable to the wavelength of the emitted light. To provide novel tools for quantum technology applications, like quantum sensing, many attempts have been made to extend the range of these interactions. In this paper we show that such an extension can be achieved with the help of partially transparent asymmetric mirror interfaces without involving negative refractive index metamaterials. Suppose two atoms are placed on opposite sides of the interface, each at the position of the mirror image of the other. In this case, their emitted light interferes exactly as it would when the atoms are right next to each other. Hence their dipole-dipole interaction assumes an additional maximum, even when the actual distance of the atoms is several orders of magnitude larger than their transition wavelength.
© 2018 American Physical Society. This paper models light scattering through flat surfaces with finite transmission, reflection, and absorption rates, with wave packets approaching the mirror from both sides. While using the same notion of photons as in free space, our model also accounts for the presence of mirror images and the possible exchange of energy between the electromagnetic field and the mirror surface. To test our model, we derive the spontaneous decay rate and the level shift of an atom in front of a semitransparent mirror as a function of its transmission and reflection rates. When considering limiting cases and using standard approximations, our approach reproduces well-known results but it also paves the way for the modeling of more complex scenarios.
This paper models light scattering through flat surfaces with finite transmission, reflection, and absorption rates, with wave packets approaching the mirror from both sides. While using the same notion of photons as in free space, our model also accounts for the presence of mirror images and the possible exchange of energy between the electromagnetic field and the mirror surface. To test our model, we derive the spontaneous decay rate and the level shift of an atom in front of a semitransparent mirror as a function of its transmission and reflection rates. When considering limiting cases and using standard approximations, our approach reproduces well-known results but it also paves the way for the modeling of more complex scenarios.