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

Applied Physics Letters

Directly extracting the authentic basis of cylindrical vector beams by a pump-probe technique in an atomic vapor

Jinwen Wang, Xin Yang, Zhenghui Dou, Shuwei Qiu, Jun Liu, Yun Chen, Mingtao Cao, Haixia Chen, Dong Wei, Klaus J. Müller‐Dethlefs, Hong Gao, Fuli Li

Published Nov 25, 2019• 16 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The projective measurement of light polarization is usually employed by using a combination of a quarter-waveplate, half-waveplate, and polarizing beam splitter. This configuration is also widely used for exploring quantum states. However, this kind of measurement destroys the real polarization state of the target. Here, an effective measurement configuration to extract the “authentic basis” of cylindrical vector beams with arbitrary polarization distribution in an atomic vapor is presented. An intense pump beam induces a distribution of atoms at different Zeeman sublevels, which allows for the extraction of the special polarization state of a counter propagated weak probe beam. The extracted part still maintains the original polarization and the vortex phase. Different orders of cylindrical vector beams are tested in this configuration, and the authentic basis of cylindrical vector beams is extracted as predicted. This work has potential applications in atomic physics and polarization optics. Furthermore, it provides a reference for the quantum projective measurement based on atom-optical devices.

DOI
10.1063/1.5125988

Related papers

Optically polarized selection in atomic vapor and its application in mapping the polarization distribution

Jinwen Wang, Yun Chen, Xin Yang +8 more

Abstract Based on the dichroism induced by the optical pumping effect, a novel and effective configuration to select an arbitrary polarization distribution is proposed. The influence of the distribution of atoms in different Zeeman sub-levels is the main cause to realize the measurement or ‘filtration’ of the state of polarization. A detailed process of the optical pumping effect in our configurations is presented in the theoretical analysis. In the experiment, the flexible function of the atomic medium, such as a polarizer or a polarized filter can efficiently be realized by different polarizations of the pump beam. Four different kinds of vector beams are tested and the ability to analyze any kind of beam with arbitrary polarization distribution is proven in agreement with the prediction. This work has potential applications in atomic physics and polarization optics. Furthermore, it can provide a reference to atom-optical elements and atom-optical devices.

Journal of Physics Communications•Jan 1, 2020•7 citations

Atomic optical spatial mode extractor for vector beams based on polarization-dependent absorption

Hong Chang, Xin Yang, Jinwen Wang +7 more

Vector beams with spiral phase and spatially varying polarization profiles have many applications from optical micromanipulation to materials processing. Here, we propose and demonstrate an atomic spatial mode extracting scheme for the vector beam based on polarization-dependent absorption in the atom vapor. By employing the linear polarization pump beam which induces polarization sensitive absorption in the atomic ensemble, a counter-propagated weak probe vector beam is extracted by spatial absorption, and extracted part still maintains the original polarization and the vortex phase. The topological charges of the extracted mode are verified by interfering with the Gaussian beam, and it can be found that the orbital angular momentum is conserved in the extracting process. Our work will have potential applications in non-destructive spatial mode identification, and is also useful for studying higher-dimensional quantum information based on atomic ensembles.

Chinese Physics B•Dec 16, 2022•4 citations

Manipulating the transmission of vector beam with spatially polarized atomic ensemble

Xin Yang, Aiping Fang, Jinwen Wang +8 more

Vector beams (VBs) with potential applications are successfully utilized in many fields as light sources with a spatially-varying polarization profile in recent years. Here, we study the transmission of a VB by manipulating atomic polarization via the optical pumping effect. By using hybridly and radially polarized beams as pump and probe beams in a counter-propagating configuration, we observe a four-petal pattern intensity distribution of probe beam, and the four-petal pattern rotates with the polarization state orientation of the pump beam. The results show a polarization dependent absorption in the atomic media. We experimentally demonstrate the absorption characteristics under different polarization combinations of pump and probe beams. The Jones matrix method is used to explain this phenomenon and the simulations are consistent with the experimental observation. Our results may provide a sound foundation for applications in optical manipulation and quantum information in atomic ensembles.

Optics Express•Feb 4, 2019•15 citations

Controllable transmission of vector beams in dichroic medium

Yun-Ke Li, Jinwen Wang, Xin Yang +6 more

Vector beams with spatially varying polarization distribution in the wavefront plane have received increasing attention in recent years. The manipulation of vector beams both in intensity and polarization distributions is highly desired and under development. In this work, we study the transmission property of vector beams through warm rubidium vapor and realize controllable transmission of vector beams based on atomic dichroism. By utilizing the linearly polarized beam and vector beams as the pump and probe beams in a pump–probe configuration, a spatially-dependent dichroism can be obtained, which leads to spatially varied absorption of the probe beam. The controllable intensity distribution of the probe beam, as a two-petal pattern, can rotate with the variation of the pump beam's polarization states. We experimentally demonstrate the mechanism of dichroism with linear polarization light and provide an explanation based on the optical pumping effect. Alternatively, the varying trend of the probe beam's intensity is also interpreted by utilizing the Jones matrix. Our results are thus beneficial for providing potential applications in optical manipulation in atomic ensembles.

Chinese Physics B•Jan 1, 2019•6 citations

Optically spatial information selection with hybridly polarized beam in atomic vapor

Jinwen Wang, Xin Yang, Yunke Li +5 more

Vector beams with spatially variant polarization have attracted much attention in recent years, with potential applications in both classical optics and quantum optics. In this work, we study a polarization selection of spatial intensity distribution by utilizing a hybridly polarized beam as a coupling beam and a circularly polarized beam as a probe beam in Rb87 atom vapor. We experimentally observe that the spatial intensity distribution of the probe beam after passing through atoms can be modulated by the hybridly polarized beam due to the optical pumping effect. Then, the information loaded in the probe beam can be designedly filtrated by an atomic system with a high extinction ratio. A detailed process of the optical pumping effect in our configurations and the corresponding absorption spectra are presented to interpret our experimental results, which can be used for the spatial optical information locally extracted based on an atomic system, which has potential applications in quantum communication and computation.

Photonics Research•Apr 21, 2018•37 citations

Spatio-spectral vector light created by optical activity in rubidium vapor

Richard Aguiar Maduro, Riaan Schmidt, Mustafa Al Khafaji +5 more

We demonstrate a pump-probe scheme in which an atomic vapor is optically pumped with circularly polarized light and probed with a vector vortex beam. The pump induces a macroscopic magnetization in the medium, which gives rise to frequency-dependent circular dichroism and birefringence. The vortex probe, characterized by spatially varying polarization, maps this optical activity onto the spatial structure of the transmitted light, thereby generating correlations between the frequency, polarization, and spatial degrees of freedom. Measuring the intensity profile in a suitable polarization component then allows us to perform spatially resolved polarization spectroscopy. We demonstrate the translation of frequency shifts into an image rotation, observing on resonance a rotation in the order of 98 mrad per MHz. These findings may find applications in high-precision spectroscopy, magnetometry, and the generation of hybrid entanglement.

•May 19, 2026•0 citations
The projective measurement of light polarization is usually employed by using a combination of a quarter-waveplate, half-waveplate, and polarizing beam splitter. This configuration is also widely used for exploring quantum states. However, this kind of measurement destroys the real polarization state of the target. Here, an effective measurement configuration to extract the “authentic basis” of cylindrical vector beams with arbitrary polarization distribution in an atomic vapor is presented. An intense pump beam induces a distribution of atoms at different Zeeman sublevels, which allows for the extraction of the special polarization state of a counter propagated weak probe beam. The extracted part still maintains the original polarization and the vortex phase. Different orders of cylindrical vector beams are tested in this configuration, and the authentic basis of cylindrical vector beams is extracted as predicted. This work has potential applications in atomic physics and polarization optics. Furthermore, it provides a reference for the quantum projective measurement based on atom-optical devices.
Abstract Based on the dichroism induced by the optical pumping effect, a novel and effective configuration to select an arbitrary polarization distribution is proposed. The influence of the distribution of atoms in different Zeeman sub-levels is the main cause to realize the measurement or ‘filtration’ of the state of polarization. A detailed process of the optical pumping effect in our configurations is presented in the theoretical analysis. In the experiment, the flexible function of the atomic medium, such as a polarizer or a polarized filter can efficiently be realized by different polarizations of the pump beam. Four different kinds of vector beams are tested and the ability to analyze any kind of beam with arbitrary polarization distribution is proven in agreement with the prediction. This work has potential applications in atomic physics and polarization optics. Furthermore, it can provide a reference to atom-optical elements and atom-optical devices.
Vector beams with spiral phase and spatially varying polarization profiles have many applications from optical micromanipulation to materials processing. Here, we propose and demonstrate an atomic spatial mode extracting scheme for the vector beam based on polarization-dependent absorption in the atom vapor. By employing the linear polarization pump beam which induces polarization sensitive absorption in the atomic ensemble, a counter-propagated weak probe vector beam is extracted by spatial absorption, and extracted part still maintains the original polarization and the vortex phase. The topological charges of the extracted mode are verified by interfering with the Gaussian beam, and it can be found that the orbital angular momentum is conserved in the extracting process. Our work will have potential applications in non-destructive spatial mode identification, and is also useful for studying higher-dimensional quantum information based on atomic ensembles.
Vector beams (VBs) with potential applications are successfully utilized in many fields as light sources with a spatially-varying polarization profile in recent years. Here, we study the transmission of a VB by manipulating atomic polarization via the optical pumping effect. By using hybridly and radially polarized beams as pump and probe beams in a counter-propagating configuration, we observe a four-petal pattern intensity distribution of probe beam, and the four-petal pattern rotates with the polarization state orientation of the pump beam. The results show a polarization dependent absorption in the atomic media. We experimentally demonstrate the absorption characteristics under different polarization combinations of pump and probe beams. The Jones matrix method is used to explain this phenomenon and the simulations are consistent with the experimental observation. Our results may provide a sound foundation for applications in optical manipulation and quantum information in atomic ensembles.
Vector beams with spatially varying polarization distribution in the wavefront plane have received increasing attention in recent years. The manipulation of vector beams both in intensity and polarization distributions is highly desired and under development. In this work, we study the transmission property of vector beams through warm rubidium vapor and realize controllable transmission of vector beams based on atomic dichroism. By utilizing the linearly polarized beam and vector beams as the pump and probe beams in a pump–probe configuration, a spatially-dependent dichroism can be obtained, which leads to spatially varied absorption of the probe beam. The controllable intensity distribution of the probe beam, as a two-petal pattern, can rotate with the variation of the pump beam's polarization states. We experimentally demonstrate the mechanism of dichroism with linear polarization light and provide an explanation based on the optical pumping effect. Alternatively, the varying trend of the probe beam's intensity is also interpreted by utilizing the Jones matrix. Our results are thus beneficial for providing potential applications in optical manipulation in atomic ensembles.
Vector beams with spatially variant polarization have attracted much attention in recent years, with potential applications in both classical optics and quantum optics. In this work, we study a polarization selection of spatial intensity distribution by utilizing a hybridly polarized beam as a coupling beam and a circularly polarized beam as a probe beam in Rb87 atom vapor. We experimentally observe that the spatial intensity distribution of the probe beam after passing through atoms can be modulated by the hybridly polarized beam due to the optical pumping effect. Then, the information loaded in the probe beam can be designedly filtrated by an atomic system with a high extinction ratio. A detailed process of the optical pumping effect in our configurations and the corresponding absorption spectra are presented to interpret our experimental results, which can be used for the spatial optical information locally extracted based on an atomic system, which has potential applications in quantum communication and computation.
We demonstrate a pump-probe scheme in which an atomic vapor is optically pumped with circularly polarized light and probed with a vector vortex beam. The pump induces a macroscopic magnetization in the medium, which gives rise to frequency-dependent circular dichroism and birefringence. The vortex probe, characterized by spatially varying polarization, maps this optical activity onto the spatial structure of the transmitted light, thereby generating correlations between the frequency, polarization, and spatial degrees of freedom. Measuring the intensity profile in a suitable polarization component then allows us to perform spatially resolved polarization spectroscopy. We demonstrate the translation of frequency shifts into an image rotation, observing on resonance a rotation in the order of 98 mrad per MHz. These findings may find applications in high-precision spectroscopy, magnetometry, and the generation of hybrid entanglement.