Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Analytical and numerical study of light-induced optical microcavity generation by half-cycle light pulses in the resonant medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, A. V. Pakhomov, Olga Diachkova, Mikhail V. Arkhipov, Nikolay N. Rosanov

Published Jun 21, 2024• 14 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An optical Bragg-like microcavity can be formed when extremely short light pulses interacting coherently with the medium collide in the resonant medium. Here we present an analytical approach, based on the approximate solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation, that reveals both the cavity formation and its control by the half-cycle pulses colliding in the medium. This approach allows the calculation of cavity properties in the weak-field regime without the need for complex numerical simulations. Beyond the approximate analytical solutions, our analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulations of the Maxwell-Bloch equations. Grating formation is also studied in the strong-field regime, where collisions of self-induced transparency half-cycle pulses occur. The results presented here reveal, to our knowledge, a new type of spatio-temporal photonic crystal in the form of micro-cavities in a simple atomic medium. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of attosecond optical switching in a simple atomic medium with half-cycle pulses.

DOI
10.1364/josab.528871

Related papers

Bragg-like microcavity formed by collision of single-cycle self-induced transparency light pulses in a resonant medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, A. V. Pakhomov, Olga Diachkova +2 more

The coherent interaction of extremely short light pulses with a resonant medium can result in the formation of population difference gratings. Such gratings have been created by pulses that are π/2 or smaller. This paper demonstrates that a microcavity with Bragg-like mirrors can be formed by colliding two single-cycle attosecond self-induced transparency pulses in the center of a two-level medium. The parameters of this structure can be quickly adjusted by increasing the number of collisions, which showcases the ability to control the dynamic properties of the medium on a sub-cycle time scale by using attosecond pulses.

arXiv:2402.09302•Optics Letters•Apr 8, 2024•14 citations

Microcavities and Photonic Time Crystals Formed by the Colliding of Half-Cycle Light Pulses in a Resonant Medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, Mikhail V. Arkhipov, A. V. Pakhomov +2 more

Abstract The authors discuss their latest research in the generation and ultrafast control of light-induced dynamic microcavities and photonic time crystals arising from the collision of half-cycle pulses in a medium. The possibility of guiding microcavities during the collision of self-induced transparency half-cycle pulses of the same polarity is demonstrated.

Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences Physics•Jan 1, 2025•2 citations

Bragg microcavities created by the collision of half-cycle Gaussian and rectangular attosecond light pulses in a time-dependent resonant medium

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, Olga Diachkova, Mikhail Arkhipov +3 more

This paper examines the behavior of dynamic microcavities (DMs) in multi-level resonant media when attosecond unipolar pulses of different shapes (Gaussian and rectangular) collide, acting as 2 π -like self-induced transparency pulses. For realistic quasi-unipolar pulses, the influence of the trailing edge of opposite polarity is investigated, and conditions under which the trailing edge’s effect can be ignored are found analytically and then confirmed by a direct numerical calculation. We demonstrate that the collision of sub-cycle pulses in a medium results in a rapid change of the refractive index both in time and space. Thus, the case considered here of a resonant medium under the action of a sequence of pulses is an example of a time-dependent medium. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of creating time-dependent media in an atomic medium with high polarization relaxation times T 2 , and subsequently controlling them with half-cycle pulses at an extremely short timescale of half of an electromagnetic field oscillation.

Optical Materials Express•Jul 14, 2025•8 citations

Generation and control of population difference gratings in a three-level hydrogen atomic medium using half-cycle attosecond pulses

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, Mikhail V. Arkhipov, Nikolay N. Rosanov

Recently, the possibility of the generation and interaction of unipolar half-cycle electromagnetic pulses with quantum systems has been the subject of active research. Such pulses can have many different and interesting applications. They are able to excite quantum systems very fast. Based on the numerical solution of Maxwell-Bloch equations, this paper theoretically studies the possibility of guiding and ultrafast controlling population difference gratings by a sequence of half-cycle attosecond pulses in a three-level resonant medium. The parameters of the model medium (transition frequencies and dipole moments of the transitions) are close to those found in the hydrogen atom. We show the possibility of guiding periodic gratings and dynamic microcavities on different resonance transitions of the medium. In this case, the medium considered is an example of a spatiotemporal photonic crystal. The refractive index varies rapidly in space and time. The possibility of the use of such gratings as Bragg mirrors in ultrafast optics is discussed. The results obtained are of interest in two actively developing areas of modern optics - the physics of half-cycle pulses and space-time photonic crystals.

arXiv:2402.13413•Feb 20, 2024•0 citations

Dynamic Population Difference Gratings and Microcavities Induced by Extremely Short Pulses: Recent Advances and Future Prospects (Brief Review)

Rostislav M. Arkhipov, O. O. Diachkova, M. V. Arkhipov +2 more

This review highlights recent advances in the creation of atomic population gratings using multi-cycle and extremely short light pulses in a medium. The application of these structures in transient grating spectroscopy is discussed. Special attention is given to the formation of high-quality dynamic microcavities, a novel type of structure recently predicted by the authors, which arises from collisions of extremely short half-cycle pulses within a medium. The results demonstrate the potential for attosecond optical switching of matter states at petahertz frequencies, operating within extreme time scales of half a field oscillation cycle. These findings pave the way for groundbreaking applications in modern ultrafast optics, including petahertz-scale signal processing, attosecond coherent control, and the development of next-generation optical technologies operating at the fundamental limits of speed and precision.

Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters•Mar 24, 2025•4 citations

Half-cycle attosecond pulse-induced dynamics of space-time photonic crystals

Rostislav M. Arkhipov

Rapidly changing the refractive index of a medium in space and time (space-time photonic crystal, STPC) has been a challenging task. Such a rapid change can be achieved by carrier-wave Rabi flopping. We show that it can be realized when a train of half-cycle light pulses collide in a simple three-level atomic medium. We found the formation of Bragg microcavities and demonstrated their ultrafast control in this case. The proposed approach is a convenient way to control medium properties on the sub-cycle time scale. It is a demonstration of the formation of STPCs and their ultrafast control in a simple atomic medium, which has been a difficult task until now.

arXiv:2402.16122•Feb 25, 2024•1 citation
An optical Bragg-like microcavity can be formed when extremely short light pulses interacting coherently with the medium collide in the resonant medium. Here we present an analytical approach, based on the approximate solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation, that reveals both the cavity formation and its control by the half-cycle pulses colliding in the medium. This approach allows the calculation of cavity properties in the weak-field regime without the need for complex numerical simulations. Beyond the approximate analytical solutions, our analytical results are confirmed by numerical simulations of the Maxwell-Bloch equations. Grating formation is also studied in the strong-field regime, where collisions of self-induced transparency half-cycle pulses occur. The results presented here reveal, to our knowledge, a new type of spatio-temporal photonic crystal in the form of micro-cavities in a simple atomic medium. The results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of attosecond optical switching in a simple atomic medium with half-cycle pulses.
The coherent interaction of extremely short light pulses with a resonant medium can result in the formation of population difference gratings. Such gratings have been created by pulses that are π/2 or smaller. This paper demonstrates that a microcavity with Bragg-like mirrors can be formed by colliding two single-cycle attosecond self-induced transparency pulses in the center of a two-level medium. The parameters of this structure can be quickly adjusted by increasing the number of collisions, which showcases the ability to control the dynamic properties of the medium on a sub-cycle time scale by using attosecond pulses.
This paper examines the behavior of dynamic microcavities (DMs) in multi-level resonant media when attosecond unipolar pulses of different shapes (Gaussian and rectangular) collide, acting as 2 π -like self-induced transparency pulses. For realistic quasi-unipolar pulses, the influence of the trailing edge of opposite polarity is investigated, and conditions under which the trailing edge’s effect can be ignored are found analytically and then confirmed by a direct numerical calculation. We demonstrate that the collision of sub-cycle pulses in a medium results in a rapid change of the refractive index both in time and space. Thus, the case considered here of a resonant medium under the action of a sequence of pulses is an example of a time-dependent medium. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of creating time-dependent media in an atomic medium with high polarization relaxation times T 2 , and subsequently controlling them with half-cycle pulses at an extremely short timescale of half of an electromagnetic field oscillation.
Recently, the possibility of the generation and interaction of unipolar half-cycle electromagnetic pulses with quantum systems has been the subject of active research. Such pulses can have many different and interesting applications. They are able to excite quantum systems very fast. Based on the numerical solution of Maxwell-Bloch equations, this paper theoretically studies the possibility of guiding and ultrafast controlling population difference gratings by a sequence of half-cycle attosecond pulses in a three-level resonant medium. The parameters of the model medium (transition frequencies and dipole moments of the transitions) are close to those found in the hydrogen atom. We show the possibility of guiding periodic gratings and dynamic microcavities on different resonance transitions of the medium. In this case, the medium considered is an example of a spatiotemporal photonic crystal. The refractive index varies rapidly in space and time. The possibility of the use of such gratings as Bragg mirrors in ultrafast optics is discussed. The results obtained are of interest in two actively developing areas of modern optics - the physics of half-cycle pulses and space-time photonic crystals.
This review highlights recent advances in the creation of atomic population gratings using multi-cycle and extremely short light pulses in a medium. The application of these structures in transient grating spectroscopy is discussed. Special attention is given to the formation of high-quality dynamic microcavities, a novel type of structure recently predicted by the authors, which arises from collisions of extremely short half-cycle pulses within a medium. The results demonstrate the potential for attosecond optical switching of matter states at petahertz frequencies, operating within extreme time scales of half a field oscillation cycle. These findings pave the way for groundbreaking applications in modern ultrafast optics, including petahertz-scale signal processing, attosecond coherent control, and the development of next-generation optical technologies operating at the fundamental limits of speed and precision.
Rapidly changing the refractive index of a medium in space and time (space-time photonic crystal, STPC) has been a challenging task. Such a rapid change can be achieved by carrier-wave Rabi flopping. We show that it can be realized when a train of half-cycle light pulses collide in a simple three-level atomic medium. We found the formation of Bragg microcavities and demonstrated their ultrafast control in this case. The proposed approach is a convenient way to control medium properties on the sub-cycle time scale. It is a demonstration of the formation of STPCs and their ultrafast control in a simple atomic medium, which has been a difficult task until now.