Controlling the optical properties of an atomic vapor

Francis Bitter

Eugeny Korsunsky, Arno Huss, S. Balushev +3 more

Jalil Shiri, Javad Khalilzadeh, Seyyed Hossein Asadpour

Abstract We investigate the steady-state and dynamic behavior of the optical properties of the laser pulse in a GaAs/AlAs 1D photonic crystal (1DPC) with an atomic vapor defect layer. We chose the atomic vapor of the 87 Rb as a defect layer by driving the probe field on the D 2 transition between 5 2 P 3/2 - 5 2 S 1/2 levels through the 1DPC. The effect of the photonic bandgap (PBG) on the absorption and dispersion properties of the probe field is discussed. Moreover, the transmission and reflection coefficient of the 1DPC is controlled by applying the various value of the intensity of the coupling field. By comparing these results in the vacuum and near the PBG, we find that the absorption/dispersion and transmission/reflection properties are strongly affected by the PBG. We find that all-optical properties of atomic vapor in the surrounding of 1DPC are improved due to PBG. Furthermore, the effect of the intensity of the coupling field on the all-optical switching is studded. The proposed model may provide some new possibilities for technological applications as an all-optical device based on the photonic crystal in quantum information science, quantum computing, signal processing, and quantum communications.

Nicholas Proite, J. P. Sheehan, Jonathan Tyler Green +2 more

Hang Zhao, Shengtao Mei, Jian Qi Shen

th , 2012; revised: Dec. 14 th , 2012; accepted: Dec. 23 rd , 2012 Abstract: The dependence of dispersion characteristics of electric permittivity and group velocity on the temperature in a three-level quantum coherent atomic vapor is considered based on the numerical solution of the density matrix equa- tion of the three-level atomic system. The behavior of dispersion of all the density matrix elements has been obtained, and both the Doppler frequency shift and the saturation density that depend upon the temperature of the saturated atomic vapor have been taken into account. The presented optical response of the quantum coherent vapor can be util- ized as a fundamental mechanism for some temperature-controlled photonic devices such as optical switches, photonic logic gates and optical transistors.

J.Q. Shen, Sailing He

Abstract The local field contribution to some three‐ and four‐level coherent atomic vapors is considered, and a significant modification to optical properties due to dipole‐dipole interaction between neighboring atoms is discussed. It is found that the local field effect can reduce loss of a four‐level N‐type vapor medium at the resonant frequency in both the steady and transient cases. In order to achieve a left‐handed medium with a negative refractive index, a scenario to realize simultaneously negative permittivity and permeability inside a mixed coherent atomic vapor by using quantum coherence effect is suggested. One of the remarkable features of the present scheme is such that it can lead to a controllable manipulation of negative refractive index of an atomic vapor by using external coupling and signal fields. This may be a new scheme to fabricate the negatively refracting materials based on quantum optical approach.