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Physical Review Applied

Nonreciprocity in Cold Atoms Based on Electromagnetically Induced Transparency

J. Li, Yunfei Wang, Peisheng Huang, Keyu Su, Yuqing Peng, Shanchao Zhang, Hui Yan, Shi-Liang Zhu

Published Jul 13, 2023• 7 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Nonreciprocal quantum devices with low loss are indispensable in quantum information processing but challenging to be realized. Here we report an experiment to realize the nonreciprocal phase shift larger than $\ensuremath{\pi}$ with low loss in a cavity-free and magnetic-free cold atomic ensemble based on electromagnetically induced transparency. Furthermore, a four-port all-optical circulator is demonstrated with an average isolation ratio of 22.25 dB and transmission of 0.94 for each channel. At its optimal working point, the circulator's total isolation ratio reaches 63.47 dB, transmission reaches 0.86, and fidelity at about 0.99. Our work can advance further investigation of nonreciprocity with cold atoms in quantum information processing applications.

DOI
10.1103/physrevapplied.20.014027

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Nonreciprocal quantum devices with low loss are indispensable in quantum information processing but challenging to be realized. Here we report an experiment to realize the nonreciprocal phase shift larger than \ensuremathπ\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremathπ with low loss in a cavity-free and magnetic-free cold atomic ensemble based on electromagnetically induced transparency. Furthermore, a four-port all-optical circulator is demonstrated with an average isolation ratio of 22.25 dB and transmission of 0.94 for each channel. At its optimal working point, the circulator's total isolation ratio reaches 63.47 dB, transmission reaches 0.86, and fidelity at about 0.99. Our work can advance further investigation of nonreciprocity with cold atoms in quantum information processing applications.
A scheme for magnetic-free optical nonreciprocity in an ensemble of four-level cold atoms is proposed by exploiting the directional four-wave mixing effect. Using experimentally achievable parameters, the nonreciprocal optical responses of the system can be observed and the conversion on nonreciprocal transmission and nonreciprocal phase shift can be implemented. These nonreciprocal phenomena originate from the directional phase matching, which breaks the time-reversal symmetry and dynamic reciprocity of the cold atomic system. Moreover, by embedding the cold atoms into a Mach-Zehnder interferometer and choosing proper parameters, a two-port optical isolator with an isolation ratio of 79.70 dB and an insertion loss of 0.35 dB and a four-port optical circulator with a fidelity of 0.9985 and a photon survival probability of 0.9278 can be realized, which shows the high performance of isolation and circulation. The proposal may enable a new class of optically controllable cavity-free nonreciprocal devices in optical signal processing at the low light level.
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Optical nonreciprocity has been a popular research topic in recent years. Semiconductor quantum wells (SQWs) play a key role in many high-performance optoelectronic devices. In this paper, we propose a theoretical scheme to achieve nonmagnetic optical nonreciprocity based on the four-wave mixing effect in SQW nanostructures. Using the experimentally available parameters, the nonreciprocal behavior of the probe field in forward direction and backward direction is achieved through this SQW, where both nonreciprocal transmission and nonreciprocal phase shift have high transmission rates. Furthermore, by embedding this SQW nanostructure into a Mach-Zender interferometer, a reconfigurable nonreciprocal device based on high transmission nonreciprocal phase shift that can be used as an isolator or a circulator, is designed and analyzed. The device can be realized as a two-port optical isolator with an isolation ratio of 92.39 dB and an insertion loss of 0.25 dB, and as a four-port optical circulator with a fidelity of 0.9993, a photon survival probability of 0.9518 and a low insertion loss with suitable parameters. Semiconductor media have the advantages of easier integration and tunable parameters, and this scheme can provide theoretical guidance for implementing nonreciprocal and nonreciprocal photonic devices based on semiconductor solid-state media.
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Nonreciprocal optical devices are important in wide areas, ranging from optical telecommunications to signal processing. Here, we experimentally realize the magnet-free and cavity-free optical nonreciprocity based on phase-matched four-wave mixing (FWM) in hot atoms. Specifically, the isolation of more than 20 dB and insertion loss less than 1 dB without using any optical cavity can be achieved simultaneously. Our results provide general insights into a broad class of parametrically modulated nonreciprocal behavior, paving the way toward optimal nonreciprocal devices based on the nonlinear FWM process.