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Acta Physica Sinica

Nonreciprocal reflection in one-dimensional quasi-periodic defective atomic lattice

Xu Qiong-Yi, Jin Zhang, Yiting ZHENG, Yan Dong, Hanxiao ZHANG, Hong Yang

Published Jan 1, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

In order to further investigate the non-reciprocity of light propagation in the defective atomic lattices, and due to its effective application in designing novel photonic devices, such as all-optical diodes and isolators, which are powerful tools for information processing and quantum simulation, we innovatively propose to use the Fibonacci sequence to modulate the arrangement of empty lattice cells that form a quasi periodic defective atomic lattices. In the electromagnetically induced transparency window, the probe light is almost not absorbed under the control of a strong coupling field (see Fig. 1). The numerical simulation indicates that a wide nonreciprocal reflection band can be achieved by modulating the number of filled lattice cells, Fibonacci sequence, the period number in a single quasi period (see Fig. 2). These results provide more degrees of freedom for regulating nonreciprocal reflection with wide bandwidth and high contrast, and have potential applications in quantum computing and information processing.

DOI
10.7498/aps.74.20250270

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In order to further investigate the non-reciprocity of light propagation in the defective atomic lattices, and due to its effective application in designing novel photonic devices, such as all-optical diodes and isolators, which are powerful tools for information processing and quantum simulation, we innovatively propose to use the Fibonacci sequence to modulate the arrangement of empty lattice cells that form a quasi periodic defective atomic lattices. In the electromagnetically induced transparency window, the probe light is almost not absorbed under the control of a strong coupling field (see Fig. 1). The numerical simulation indicates that a wide nonreciprocal reflection band can be achieved by modulating the number of filled lattice cells, Fibonacci sequence, the period number in a single quasi period (see Fig. 2). These results provide more degrees of freedom for regulating nonreciprocal reflection with wide bandwidth and high contrast, and have potential applications in quantum computing and information processing.
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
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.
We extend a recent theoretical work [ Phys. Rev. A 101 , 053856 ( 2020 ) 10.1103/PhysRevA.101.053856 ] by replacing disorders characterized by varied atomic densities with defects characterized by vacant lattice cells to evaluate again three-color reflection in a one-dimensional optical lattice filled with cold 87Rb atoms. This is based on the consideration that trapped atoms may escape from some lattice cells and effects of vacant cells on light propagation are of major importance from both fundamental and applied research viewpoints. We consider two types of defective atomic lattices where vacant cells are randomly or continuously distributed among filled cells. Numerical results show that the wider reflection band in a large detuning region of negligible off-resonance absorption is quite sensitive to, while the narrower reflection bands in two near-resonant regions of electromagnetically induced transparency are rather robust against, the number of random vacant cells. In contrast, all three reflection bands exhibit strong robustness against the number of continuous vacant cells. Note, however, that both narrower reflection bands may become widened and exhibit a blue shift when continuous vacant cells appear in the front of our atomic lattice due to the joint contributions of Bragg scattering and quantum interference.
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 $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}$-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.
Multi-band signal propagation and processing play an important role in quantum communications and quantum computing.In recent years, optical nonreciprocal devices such as an optical isolator and circulator are proposed via various configurations of atoms, metamaterials, nonlinear waveguides, etc.In this work, we investigate all-optical controlled nonreciprocity of multi-band optical signals in thermal atomic systems.Via introducing multiple strong coupling fields, nonreciprocal propagation of the probe field can happen at some separated frequency bands, which results from combination of the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect and atomic thermal motion.In the proposed configuration, the frequency shift resulting from atomic thermal motion takes converse effect on the probe field in the two opposite directions.In this way, the probe field can propagate almost transparently within some frequency bands of EIT windows in the opposite direction of the coupling fields.However, it is well blocked within the considered frequency region in the same direction of the coupling fields because of destruction of the EIT.Such selectable optical nonreciprocity and isolation for discrete signals may be greatly useful in controlling signal transmission and realizing selective optical isolation functions.
Improving the performance of non-reciprocal photonic devices is one of the key factors for promoting the development of quantum networks. To achieve this goal, we propose a scheme to realize multicolored unidirectional reflection amplification in the defective atomic lattice, with all atoms trapped in each filled lattice cell being driven into a four-level diamond-type coherent gain atomic system by two coupling fields and two probe fields. Therefore, this scheme simultaneously achieves light amplification (resulting from the joint effect of the coherent gain atomic system and the distributed feedback mechanism of the atomic lattice) and non-reciprocity (arising from the symmetry-breaking effect of the defective atomic lattice) in a single physical system. Furthermore, we propose a reasonable scheme for obtaining equivalent results by reducing the energy level structure, and through numerical simulations and calculations, it is concluded that perfect unidirectional reflection amplification requires that the two-photon resonance is not only located in the gain region, but also satisfies the Bragg condition. This scheme can be used to design non-reciprocal photonic devices that are easily integrable, high-efficiency, and capable of flexible multi-channel manipulation.