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Can we observe weak localization of light in a hot atomic vapor

Nicolas Cherroret, M. Hemmerling, G. Labeyrie, Dominique Delande, Jook T. M. Walraven, Robin Kaiser

Published Jul 7, 2021• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We theoretically explore the possibility to detect weak localization of light in a hot atomic vapor, where one usually expects the fast thermal motion of the atoms to destroy any interference in multiple scattering. To this end, we compute the coherent backscattering peak, assuming high temperature and taking into account the quantum level structure of the atomic scatterers. It is found that the decoherence due to thermal motion can be partially counterbalanced by working at large laser detuning and using small atomic cells with an elongated geometry. Under these conditions, our estimates suggest that weak localization in a hot vapor should be within reach of experimental detection.

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PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - STEVENS POINT

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arXiv:1207.4775•Physical Review Letters•Nov 5, 2012•117 citations
We theoretically explore the possibility to detect weak localization of light in a hot atomic vapor, where one usually expects the fast thermal motion of the atoms to destroy any interference in multiple scattering. To this end, we compute the coherent backscattering peak, assuming high temperature and taking into account the quantum level structure of the atomic scatterers. It is found that the decoherence due to thermal motion can be partially counterbalanced by working at large laser detuning and using small atomic cells with an elongated geometry. Under these conditions, our estimates suggest that weak localization in a hot vapor should be within reach of experimental detection.
The coherence of light from independent ensembles of elementary atomic emitters plays a paramount role in diverse areas of modern optics. We demonstrate the interference of photons scattered from independent ensembles of warm atoms in atomic vapor. It relies on the feasibility of the preservation of coherence of light scattered elastically in the forward and backward directions from Doppler-broadened atomic ensembles, such that photons with chaotic photon statistics from two opposite atomic velocity groups contribute to the same detection mode. While the random phase fluctuations of the scattered light caused by a large thermal motion prevent direct observability of the interference in the detected photon rate, the stable frequency difference between photons collected from scattering off counterpropagating laser beams provides strong periodic modulation of the photon coincidence rate with the period given by the detuning of the excitation laser from the atomic resonance. The presented interferometry represents a sensitive and robust methodology for Doppler-free optical atomic and molecular spectroscopy based on photon correlation measurements on scattered light.
Weak localization of light or coherent backscattering (CBS) of light is a phenomena in which partial waves traversing momentum-reversed (time-reversed) scattering paths interfere constructively in the backscattering direction leading to an enhancement of scattered light intensity. The enhancement of intensity is proportional to a reduction of light transported in the scattering medium. Thus the CBS signal is a measure of localization of light in the scattering medium. We are building an apparatus to observe weak localization of photons in a high density sample of ultra-cold atoms. First we slow the atoms from room temperature (300 m/s) to less than 10 cm/s in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) where the atom number density is 10 11 atoms/cm 3 . In order to increase the atomic density the atoms in the MOT are transferred to a far detuned microscopic dipole trap created by a laser focused to a waist of approximately 5m. We have successfully loaded the MOT and are now in the process of loading the high density microscopic dipole trap. Once this is achieved we will look at the CBS signal as a function of the atom number density and the scattering cross section. The goal of the project is to reach the Joffe-Regel region where mean free path length is about the wavelength of the scattering radiation.
In a three-level $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ atomic system coupled by a symmetrical bichromatic laser field, a weak probe laser field shows multiple absorption peaks in the case of cold atoms. As for hot atomic vapors, we experimentally observe double symmetrical electromagnetically induced transparency windows instead of multiple absorption peaks. This abnormal spectrum is due to the Doppler averaging. The electromagnetically induced transparency windows observed here are useful for obtaining slow photons at different frequencies.
We report on the direct observation of coherent backscattering (CBS) of ultracold atoms in a quasi-two-dimensional configuration. Launching atoms with a well-defined momentum in a laser speckle disordered potential, we follow the progressive build up of the momentum scattering pattern, consisting of a ring associated with multiple elastic scattering, and the CBS peak in the backward direction. Monitoring the depletion of the initial momentum component and the formation of the angular ring profile allows us to determine microscopic transport quantities. We also study the time evolution of the CBS peak and find it in fair agreement with predictions, at long times as well as at short times. The observation of CBS can be considered a direct signature of coherence in quantum transport of particles in disordered media. It is responsible for the so called weak localization phenomenon, which is the precursor of Anderson localization.