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Photonics

Experimental Realization of Reconfigurable Photonic Lattices in Coherent Rydberg Atomic Vapors

Shun Ke Liang, Qingsong Yu, Xing Lei, Shaohuan Ning, Changbiao Li, Yanpeng Zhang, Zhaoyang Zhang

Published Jun 16, 2022• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrated the formation of a one-dimensional electromagnetically induced optical lattice in coherently prepared three-level 85Rb Rydberg atomic vapors with electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The one-dimensional photonic lattice was optically induced by a coupling field with a spatially periodical intensity distribution deriving from the interference of two strong Gaussian beams from the same laser source (~480 nm). Under the Rydberg-EIT condition, the incident weak probe beam can feel a tunable spatially modulated susceptibility, which is verified by the controllable discrete diffraction pattern observed at the output plane of the vapor cell. This investigation not only opens the door for experimentally introducing the strong interaction between Rydberg atoms to govern the beam dynamics in photonic lattices based on atomic coherence but also provides an easily accessible periodic environment for exploring Rydberg-atom physics and related applications.

DOI
10.3390/photonics9060422

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We have experimentally demonstrated the realization of an instantaneously reconfigurable Lieb photonic lattice with a flatband in a three-level Λ-type rubidium atomic configuration. Such a coherently controllable Lieb photonic lattice is optically induced by a coupling field possessing a spatially periodic intensity distribution (generated via a spatial light modulator) under the condition of electromagnetically induced transparency. The incident weak Gaussian probe field can experience discrete diffraction and the observed probe beam at the output surface of the medium exhibits the same Lieb pattern, verifying the formation of the refractive index with a Lieb profile inside the atomic vapor cell. The potential wells and the band structure of the Lieb photonic lattice can be effectively manipulated by easily tuning the frequency of the involved laser beams. The current work can promisingly pave the way for exploring the exotic dynamics as well as tunable photonic devices in Lieb photonic lattices.
The diffraction pattern of a two-dimensional optically induced atomic lattice is reported experimentally in a three-level atomic system. Such a two-dimensional optical lattice is established by two orthogonal standing-wave fields induced by the interference of two pairs of coupling laser beams. When the probe beam is launched into it, a spatially modulated discrete diffraction pattern can be obtained at the output plane of the vapor cell under the electromagnetically induced transparency condition. We investigate the diffraction pattern under different experimental parameters and find that it can be effectively controlled by tuning the coupling laser power and two-photon detuning. Our work may potentially pave the way for studying the control of light and other intriguing physical phenomena based on such a periodically modulated atomic lattice.
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In this Letter, we have investigated experimentally the photonic realization of a moving lattice with an instantaneously tunable transverse velocity in a three-level Λ -type warm 85 R b atomic medium. The dynamic photonic lattice moving along the direction of its spatial periodicity was constructed by introducing a frequency difference (determining the velocity) between two coupling beams, whose interference pattern could optically induce a (spatial) periodic refractive index change inside the atomic vapor under electromagnetically induced transparency. When a Gaussian probe field is launched into this optically induced lattice, the output diffraction patterns can shift along the transverse direction, indicating dynamical features of induced photonic structures. The realization of this effectively controllable moving photonic lattice provides a new platform for guiding the transport of light.
We experimentally and theoretically demonstrate an electromagnetically induced binary photonic lattice with an instantaneously tunable flat band in a three-level85Rb atomic configuration. The transmitted binary patterns result from the diffraction of an injected Gaussian probe beam through the atomic vapor cell, in which the refractive index is modulated by a binary coupling field with alternating high- and low-intensity peaks under electromagnetically induced transparency. The binary coupling field is established by spatially superimposing two standing-wave fields whose periods differ by a factor of two. The transmitted patterns and the flat band can be readily modulated via controllable atomic coherence. Crucially, by tuning the Rabi frequencies to engineer the refractive index contrast, instantaneous switching of the flat band is achieved. This investigation provides a new method for producing tunable binary photonic lattices, which can serve as a promising platform for investigating the dynamical evolutions of wave packets.
Abstract The array of coupled optical waveguides, which is also viewed as a photonic lattice, can exhibit abundant photonic band structures depending on the desired spatial arrangements of involved waveguides. Studies of photonic lattices are usually performed in solid‐state materials, where the required periodic susceptibilities can be achieved by employing the femtosecond laser direct‐writing or optical induction method, and have spawned flourishing achievements in manipulating the behaviors of light. Recently, the concept of electromagnetically induced photonic lattice (EIPL) is proposed under the well‐known electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in coherently prepared multilevel alkali‐metal atomic systems, where the strong coupling beams producing EIT possess spatially periodic intensity profiles. The inherited instantaneous tunability of susceptibility from EIT‐modulated atomic coherence allows for the easy reconfigurability of EIPLs, which gives rise to exotic beam dynamics under such a readily controllable framework. This paper summarizes the historical overview and recent advances of the in situ and all‐optically reconfigurable EIPLs. The Introduction section provides the scheme and formation of the EIPL via atomic coherence. The following sections review the recently demonstrated dynamical properties of light in various 1D and 2D EIPLs and in compound EIPLs built by two coupling fields. The final section gives brief concluding remarks.