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Optics Express

Geometric pattern evolution of photonic graphene in coherent atomic medium

Hengfei Zhang, Jinpeng Yuan, Liantuan Xiao, Suotang Jia, Lirong Wang

Published Feb 28, 2023• 9 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The photonic graphene in atoms not only has the typical photonic band structures but also exhibits controllable optical properties that are difficult to achieve in the natural graphene. Here, the evolution process of discrete diffraction patterns of a photonic graphene, which is constructed through a three-beam interference, is demonstrated experimentally in a 5 S 1/2 − 5 P 3/2 − 5 D 5/2 85 Rb atomic vapor. The input probe beam experiences a periodic refractive index modulation when traveling through the atomic vapor, and the evolution of output patterns with honeycomb, hybrid-hexagonal, and hexagonal geometric profiles is obtained by controlling the experimental parameters of two-photon detuning and the power of the coupling field. Moreover, the Talbot images of such three kinds of periodic structure patterns at different propagating planes are observed experimentally. This work provides an ideal platform to investigate manipulation the propagation of light in artificial photonic lattices with tunable periodically varying refractive index.

DOI
10.1364/oe.483371

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The photonic graphene in atoms not only has the typical photonic band structures but also exhibits controllable optical properties that are difficult to achieve in the natural graphene. Here, the evolution process of discrete diffraction patterns of a photonic graphene, which is constructed through a three-beam interference, is demonstrated experimentally in a 5 S 1/2 − 5 P 3/2 − 5 D 5/2 85 Rb atomic vapor. The input probe beam experiences a periodic refractive index modulation when traveling through the atomic vapor, and the evolution of output patterns with honeycomb, hybrid-hexagonal, and hexagonal geometric profiles is obtained by controlling the experimental parameters of two-photon detuning and the power of the coupling field. Moreover, the Talbot images of such three kinds of periodic structure patterns at different propagating planes are observed experimentally. This work provides an ideal platform to investigate manipulation the propagation of light in artificial photonic lattices with tunable periodically varying refractive index.
Photonic graphene, possesses a honeycomb-like geometric structure, provides a superior platform for simulating photonic bandgap, Dirac physics, and topological photonics. Here, the photonic graphene with reconfigurable geometric structures is demonstrated in a 5S1/2–5P3/2–5D5/2 cascade-type 85Rb atomic ensembles. A strong hexagonal-coupling field, formed by the interference of three identical coupling beams, is responsible for optically inducing photonic graphene in atomic vapor. The incident weak probe beam experiences discrete diffraction, and the observed pattern at the output plane of vapor cell exhibits a clear hexagonal intensity distribution. The complete photonic graphene geometries from transversely stretched to longitudinally stretched are conveniently constructed by varying the spatial arrangement of three coupling beams, and the corresponding diffraction patterns are implemented theoretically and experimentally to map these distorted geometric structures. Moreover, the distribution of lattice sites intensity in photonic graphene is further dynamically adjusted by two-photon detuning and the coupling beams power. This work paves the way for further investigation of light transport and graphene dynamics.
By taking advantage of the optical induction method, a non-Hermitian photonic graphene lattice is efficiently established inside an atomic vapor cell under the condition of electromagnetically induced transparency. This non-Hermitian structure is accomplished by simultaneously modulating both the real and imaginary components of the refractive index into honeycomb profiles. The transmitted probe field can either exhibit a hexagonal or honeycomb intensity profile when the degree of non-Hermiticity is effectively controlled by the ratio between imaginary and real indices. The experimental realization of such an instantaneously tunable complex honeycomb potential sets a new platform for future experimental exploration of non-Hermitian topological photonics. Also, we demonstrate the Talbot effect of the transmitted probe patterns. Such a self-imaging effect based on a non-Hermitian structure provides a promising route to potentially improve the related applications, such as an all-optical-controllable Talbot–Lau interferometer.
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.
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.
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.
As an optical structure characterized by modulations in both transverse and longitudinal directions, the curved photonic lattice has been widely utilized to mimic the behaviors of electrons that are challenging to observe directly. Within the framework of quantum-optical analogies, such a mimicking approach offers additional degrees of freedom for manipulating the dynamics of light. Here, we report the realization of curved photonic lattices in atomic vapors by employing the phase difference in a two-beam interference configuration. The phase difference is introduced via an electro-optic modulator. A weak Gaussian probe field is sent into the curved photonic lattice to image the constructed structure in the context of electromagnetically induced transparency both experimentally and theoretically. In the case of sinusoidal modulation of the phase difference, the transverse oscillation of the output probe pattern is observed clearly, indicating the instantaneous and accurate control of the curved photonic lattice. It is also found that the modulation frequency can play an important role in synthesizing flat bands. This work not only presents a convenient way for producing curved photonic lattices with reconfigurability, but also puts forward a promising platform to investigate quantum-optical analogies in atomic vapors.