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Electromagnetically induced transparency in the multiple scattering regime

Murilo Henrique de Oliveira, C. E. Máximo, Celso J. Villas-Bôas

Published Apr 1, 2021• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Here we present a microscopic model that describes the Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) phenomenon in the multiple scattering regime. We consider an ensembles of cold three-level atoms, in a $\Lambda$ configuration, scattering a probe and a control field to the vacuum modes of the electromagnetic field. By first considering a scalar description of the scattering, we show that the light-mediated long-range interactions that emerge between the dipoles narrow the EIT transparency window for increasing densities and sample sizes. For a vectorial description, we demonstrate that near-field interacting terms can critically affect the atomic population transfer in the Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP). This result points out that standard STIRAP-based quantum memories in dense and cold atomic ensembles would not reach efficiency high enough for quantum information processing applications.

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Sensitivity of electromagnetically induced transparency to light-mediated interactions

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Here we present a microscopic model that describes the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) phenomenon in the multiple-scattering regime. We consider an ensemble of cold three-level atoms, in a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ configuration, scattering a probe and a control field to the vacuum modes of the electromagnetic field. By first considering a scalar description of the scattering, we show that the light-mediated long-range interactions that emerge between the dipoles narrow the EIT transparency window for increasing densities and sample sizes. For a vectorial description, we demonstrate that near-field interacting terms can critically affect the atomic population transfer in the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). This result points out that standard STIRAP-based quantum memories in cold-atomic ensembles would not reach high enough efficiencies for quantum information processing applications even in dilute regimes.

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Light transport in a dense and disordered cold atomic ensemble, where the cooperation of atomic dipoles essentially modifies their coupling with the radiation modes, offers an alternative approach to light-matter interfacing protocols. Here, we show how the cooperativity and quasistatic dipole interaction affect the process of light propagation under the conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We perform comparative analysis of the self-consistent approach with ab initio microscopic calculations and emphasize the role of the interatomic interaction in the dipoles' dynamics. Our results show that in such a dense and strongly disordered system the EIT-based light storage protocol stays relatively insensitive to configuration variations and can be obtained with essentially fewer atoms than are normally needed for dilute systems.

arXiv:1411.4771•Physical Review A•May 12, 2015•9 citations
Here we present a microscopic model that describes the Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) phenomenon in the multiple scattering regime. We consider an ensembles of cold three-level atoms, in a Λ\LambdaΛ configuration, scattering a probe and a control field to the vacuum modes of the electromagnetic field. By first considering a scalar description of the scattering, we show that the light-mediated long-range interactions that emerge between the dipoles narrow the EIT transparency window for increasing densities and sample sizes. For a vectorial description, we demonstrate that near-field interacting terms can critically affect the atomic population transfer in the Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage (STIRAP). This result points out that standard STIRAP-based quantum memories in dense and cold atomic ensembles would not reach efficiency high enough for quantum information processing applications.
Here we present a microscopic model that describes the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) phenomenon in the multiple-scattering regime. We consider an ensemble of cold three-level atoms, in a $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}$ configuration, scattering a probe and a control field to the vacuum modes of the electromagnetic field. By first considering a scalar description of the scattering, we show that the light-mediated long-range interactions that emerge between the dipoles narrow the EIT transparency window for increasing densities and sample sizes. For a vectorial description, we demonstrate that near-field interacting terms can critically affect the atomic population transfer in the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). This result points out that standard STIRAP-based quantum memories in cold-atomic ensembles would not reach high enough efficiencies for quantum information processing applications even in dilute regimes.
The preparation of an optically dense ensemble of three- level systems in dark states of the interaction with coherent radiation is discussed. It is shown that methods involving spontaneous emissions of photons such as Raman optical pumping fail to work beyond a critical density due to multiple scattering and trapping of these photons and the associated decay of the dark state(s). In optically thick media coherent-state preparation is only possible by entirely coherent means such as stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP). It is shown that STIRAP is the underlying physical mechanism for electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT).
Resonant dipole-dipole interaction (RDDI) emerges in strong light-matter interacting systems, which leads to many fascinating phenomena such as cooperative light scattering and collective radiation. Here, we theoretically investigate the role of RDDI in electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The resonant dipole-dipole interactions manifest themselves in the cooperative spontaneous emission of the probe light transition, which give rise a broadened linewidth and associated collective frequency shift. This cooperative linewidth originates from the nonlocal and long-range RDDI, which can be determined by the atomic density, optical depth, and macroscopic length scales of the atomic ensemble. We present the finding that EIT spectroscopy essentially demonstrates all-order multiple scattering of RDDI. Furthermore, we find that the EIT transparency window becomes narrower as the cooperative linewidth increases, which essentially reduces the storage efficiency of slow light as an EIT-based quantum memory application.
We present a fully quantum-mechanical theory of the mutual light-matter effects when two laser pulses interact with three discrete states coupled to a (quasi)continuum. Our formulation uses a single set of equations to describe the time dependence of the discrete and continuum populations, as well as pulse propagation in electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) situations, for both weak and strong laser pulses. The theory gives a mechanistic picture of the ``slowing down of light'' and the state of spontaneously emitted photons during this process. Surprising features regarding the time dependence of material and radiative transients as well as limitations on quantum light storage and retrieval are unraveled.
The appearance of quantum interference in the microscopic world is one of the deepest mysteries at the very root of quantum mechanics. When light interacts with atoms, it can induce transitions by way of distinct but indistinguishable pathways and yield unexpected and often counter-intuitive results. Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT), Coherent Population Trapping (CPT), and Lasing Without Inversion (LWI) are modern examples of phenomena where the traditional rules that govern absorption and dispersion undergo major revisions. Spectacular consequences of this new state of affairs include the ability of a light beam to propagate through a normally absorbing medium with little or no absorption, or to undergo amplification even if the active medium is not prepared in a state of population inversion. Light signals have been shown to travel with strongly subluminal group velocities of only a handful of meters per second and, even, to propagate at speed greater than the ordinary speed of light, but without violation of causality or of the established rules that control the transfer of optical information through space. Three-level atoms can interact with two coherent electromagnetic fields according to three different systems, known as Cascade, Lambda and Vee systems. The propagation of a weak probe field can be deeply affected by the presence of a second stronger beam, the so-called coupling field. Transparency windows, splitting of emission and absorption lines and enormously enhanced dispersion have been documented in numerous experiments. In this thesis we explore the physical origin of the transparency induced in these systems by the simultaneous interplay of the coupling and probe fields. We focus our attention on the Cascade system and study its two configurations, Cascade-EIT and Cascade-AT. We develop a variety of complementary approaches for the description of these two configurations, some semiclassical and others fully quantum mechanical. We prove the existence of quantum interference in Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and also the surprising absence of interference in a closely related phenomenon, known as the Autler-Townes effect. Finally we complement the traditional machinery of theoretical quantum optics with techniques borrowed from quantum scattering theory, and offer what we believe is the most convincing physical evidence for the appearance, or for the absence, of quantum interference effects.
Light transport in a dense and disordered cold atomic ensemble, where the cooperation of atomic dipoles essentially modifies their coupling with the radiation modes, offers an alternative approach to light-matter interfacing protocols. Here, we show how the cooperativity and quasistatic dipole interaction affect the process of light propagation under the conditions of electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We perform comparative analysis of the self-consistent approach with ab initio microscopic calculations and emphasize the role of the interatomic interaction in the dipoles' dynamics. Our results show that in such a dense and strongly disordered system the EIT-based light storage protocol stays relatively insensitive to configuration variations and can be obtained with essentially fewer atoms than are normally needed for dilute systems.