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Physical Review A

Broadband unidirectional reflection amplification in a one-dimensional defective atomic lattice

Qiongyi Xu, Guangrong Li, Yiting Zheng, Dong Yan, Hanxiao Zhang, Ting-Gui Zhang, Hong Yang

Published Dec 27, 2024• 9 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Assisted by the probe gain, we propose a scheme to realize the amplified unidirectional broadband reflection in a one-dimensional defective atomic lattice. In this system, some lattice cells are intentionally designed to prevent atom trapping and exhibit a periodic distribution, in order to break the spatial symmetry of light propagation and form a well reflection band. While the filled lattice cells of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ atoms are driven into the closed three-level $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}$-type configuaration, which can realize the amplification of the probe field. By optimizing parameters and reasonable settings, it is obvious that our scheme not only yields a flexible and adjustable broadband unidirectional reflection amplification, but also has reduced the requirement for probe gain and greatly shortened the length of defective atomic lattices.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.110.063724

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Assisted by the probe gain, we propose a scheme to realize the amplified unidirectional broadband reflection in a one-dimensional defective atomic lattice. In this system, some lattice cells are intentionally designed to prevent atom trapping and exhibit a periodic distribution, in order to break the spatial symmetry of light propagation and form a well reflection band. While the filled lattice cells of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms are driven into the closed three-level \ensuremathΔ\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}\ensuremathΔ-type configuaration, which can realize the amplification of the probe field. By optimizing parameters and reasonable settings, it is obvious that our scheme not only yields a flexible and adjustable broadband unidirectional reflection amplification, but also has reduced the requirement for probe gain and greatly shortened the length of defective atomic lattices.
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We propose an efficient scheme for achieving mode-tunable unidirectional reflection lasing (URL) by establishing a coherent gain atomic system to amplify the probe field and ingeniously designing a one-dimensional (1D) defective atomic lattice. This lattice not only replaces the resonant cavity to provide a distributed feedback mechanism but also breaks the spatial symmetry of the probe susceptibility. Correspondingly, the URL can be characterized by a non-Hermitian degenerate spectral singularity (NHDSS), where the two eigenvalues of the inverse scattering matrix are engineered to satisfy λ S −1 + ≃ λ S −1 − →0. This intriguing NHDSS depends on the probe susceptibility and the Bragg condition, both of which can be modulated by adjusting the external driving fields and lattice structure, rendering the scheme experimentally feasible. Our approach achieves both nonreciprocity and lasing oscillation in a single system, significantly enhancing the efficiency of optical information transmission and facilitating the integration of active photonic devices into compact quantum networks.
Unidirectional lasing is highly desirable for practical high-performance quantum information processing platforms, while most existing schemes still rely on the combination of resonant cavities and nonreciprocal mechanisms. Here, we propose a cavity-free scheme for achieving the onset of narrowband unidirectional reflection lasing (URL) in a single physical system by introducing a coherent gain atomic medium into a one-dimensional defective atomic lattice, where the former amplifies the probe field and the latter provides spatial symmetry breaking and a distributed-feedback mechanism. We show that the threshold condition for URL, characterized by λ + −1 ≃ λ − −1 →0, can be tuned from single-mode to dual-mode by varying the microwave field and the lattice structure. Its underlying mechanism lies in the constructive or destructive interference between the reflections from both sides under distinct Bragg conditions.
Simultaneously realizing nonreciprocity and signal amplification in the same physical system cannot only greatly enhance the efficiency of nonreciprocal photonic devices but also facilitate their integration. We propose a scheme to achieve gain-assisted nonreciprocal or even unidirectional reflection amplification by exploring spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) activated by a weak incoherent pump in a defective atomic lattice. The numerical results show that the monochromatic to two-color nonreciprocal reflection amplification (the maximum of reflectivities R l ≃ 10 4 and R r ≃ 10 2 ), and even unidirectional reflection amplification ( R l ≃ 10 2 and R r ≃ 10 −4 ) can be modulated freely by adjusting the relative phase ϕ , the dipole moment angle θ and the parameters of defective atomic lattice, e.g., the number and period of vacant lattice cells, the period of filled lattice cells, and so on. This indicates that nonreciprocal reflection amplification can be enhanced and modulated via the SGC effect and multiple reflections within the atomic lattice. Such efficient nonreciprocal amplification can be effectively applied to integrated chips, thereby advancing the development of quantum information technology.
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Based on the broken spatial symmetry, we propose a scheme for engineering a unidirectional photonic reflector using a one-dimensional atomic lattice with defective cells that have been specifically designed to be vacant. By trapping three-level atoms and driving them into the regime of electromagnetically induced transparency, and through the skillful design of the number and position of vacant cells in the lattice, numerical simulations demonstrate that a broad and high unidirectional reflection region can be realized within the EIT window. This proposed unidirectional reflector scheme provides a new platform for achieving optical nonreciprocity and has potential applications for designing optical circuits and devices of nonreciprocity at extremely low energy levels. Published by the American Physical Society 2024