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Optics Express

Tunable optical multistability created by a single cavity field in an atom-cavity system

Liyong Wang, Wenyi Zhang, Yinxue Zhao, G. Wang, Yu Liu, Jiajia Du

Published May 12, 2025• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

A tunable optical multistability scheme based on a single cavity field coupled with two separate atomic transitions in an atom-cavity system is proposed and demonstrated. Under the collective strong coupling condition, optical multistability is triggered by a transmitting signal field coupled into the cavity without extra assistant light or magnetic fields. The created optical multistability curve and threshold can be tuned flexibly by system parameters in a broadband range. Moreover, a certain bistability region of the system is further split into two bistability regions due to destructive quantum interference when a weak control field is added. Compared to traditional optical multistabilities created by two or more light fields, the proposed optical multistability scheme may be designed as passive all-optical logical devices since it is compact and easy to miniaturize. The proposed scheme is useful for manufacturing integrated applications of multi-state all-optical logic devices and constructing basic elements of all-optical communication networks.

DOI
10.1364/oe.563582

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A tunable optical multistability scheme based on a single cavity field coupled with two separate atomic transitions in an atom-cavity system is proposed and demonstrated. Under the collective strong coupling condition, optical multistability is triggered by a transmitting signal field coupled into the cavity without extra assistant light or magnetic fields. The created optical multistability curve and threshold can be tuned flexibly by system parameters in a broadband range. Moreover, a certain bistability region of the system is further split into two bistability regions due to destructive quantum interference when a weak control field is added. Compared to traditional optical multistabilities created by two or more light fields, the proposed optical multistability scheme may be designed as passive all-optical logical devices since it is compact and easy to miniaturize. The proposed scheme is useful for manufacturing integrated applications of multi-state all-optical logic devices and constructing basic elements of all-optical communication networks.
A tunable optical multistability scheme based on a single cavity mode coupled with two separate atomic transitions in an atom-cavity system is proposed and demonstrated. Under the collective strong coupling condition, multiple polariton eigenstates of the atom-cavity system are produced. The threshold and optical multistability curve can be tuned freely by system parameters in a broadband range. Moreover, a certain bistability region of the system is split to two bistability regions due to destructive quantum interference induced by an extra weak control field. Compared to traditional optical multistabilities created by two or more light fields, the proposed optical multistability scheme has compactness and is easy to be miniaturized. The proposed scheme is useful for manufacturing integrated application of multi-state all-optical logic devices and constructing basic elements of all-optical communication networks.
We propose a scheme of interaction-free bidirectional multi-channel all-optical switching in a multi-level coupling system consisting of four-level atoms confined in a cavity and coupled by a free-space control laser. A signal laser field is coupled into the cavity and excites two separate transitions of atoms simultaneously under the collective strong coupling condition. The transmission and reflection of signal fields form bidirectional output channels. A free-space control laser induces destructive quantum interference in the multi-level excitation of an atom-cavity system, which can be used to switch on/off the output signal lights of transmission/reflection channels. There is no direct coupling of control light and signal light through the cavity-confined atoms because the output of signal light is nearly totally suppressed to the opposite direction when control light is present. The proposed all-optical switching scheme can be realized with high switching efficiency, broad bandwidth, and weak light intensity. It may be useful for future devices of optical routing, optical communications, and various quantum logic elements.
We analyze the absorptive and hybrid absorptive–dispersive double-cavity optical bistability behavior in a four-level N-type atomic system driven by two optical fields circulating inside two independently unidirectional ring cavities and a trigger field outside the cavities. In this system, the two-photon absorption and cross Kerr nonlinearity play significant roles in the formation of bistability and can be controlled efficiently due to the quantum interference effect, and then the resulting nonlinear behavior exhibits different features from the two/three-level schemes. It is shown that the threshold values and hysteresis cycle width of the bistable curve can be manipulated via the adjustment of the system parameters. Meanwhile, we also obtain double-beam optical multistability. When adding positive and negative pulses to the cavity input, all-optical steady-state switching for the two cavity outputs can be achieved simultaneously. Therefore, the proposed scheme may have potential applications in all-optical communication and computing.
We investigate the optical bistability behavior of a two-sided cavity quantum electrodynamics system. The nonlinear input–output relation of the atom–cavity system coupled by two input light fields from two ends of the cavity can be controlled by a control light from the free space. Different from the common optical bistability phenomenon in the atom–cavity system, two separate bistability regions are observed. The bistability threshold and hysteresis loop can be well controlled by the control light. Because of field interference, the output light intensity becomes different with varying the relative phase of two incident fields. The output field intensity at the threshold of the first bistability region approaches zero with either increasing the detuning or lowering the intensity of the control light; thus, the perfect photon absorption condition is extended and a broadband near-perfect photon absorber is realized. Furthermore, we show an asymmetrical transmission feature due to field interference.
A four-level inverse Y-type atomic system with a microwave-driven field contained in a unidirectional ring cavity is proposed for controlling the optical bistability behavior with application on all-optical switching. Two circularly polarized components from a weak linearly-polarized probe beam are interacted separately by two transitions of this medium. A coherent coupling field derived another atomic transition. Under the steady state condition, we can control the occurrence of the optical bistability by modulating different parameters, such as the probe detuning ( ), the electronic cooperation parameter (C), the magnitude of electromagnetic field (B), and left- or right- handed circular polarized beams. Also, it is found that the stable output field of the optical cavity can be controlled by adjusting the intensity of the input field. It is demonstrated that the transmission coefficient of two orthogonally polarized beams at different frequencies can be achieved by adjusting the magnitude of the external magnetic field. It is found that the threshold of the optical bistability can be controlled by the magnitude of the external magnetic field. Also, it is shown that the optical bistability can be converted to optical multistability by switching the two orthogonally polarized beams. In this paper, in the case of the steady-state and transient response, we investigated the effect of external magnetic field on optical bistability of a four-level atomic system in the presence of strong coherent laser beam. Here, a laser probe signal consists of two left- and right- handed circular polarized beams which are interacted by two different transitions. The optical system provides a new experimental method to test optical bistability theory.
A novel scheme is proposed for controlling the optical bistability and multistability in an atomic system. In an open ladder-type three-level atomic system, it is shown that, by adjusting the ratio between atomic injections and exit rates from the cavity, the intensity threshold of optical bistability can be controlled. The effect of incoherent pumping field and spontaneously generated coherence (SGC) on optical bistability for different values of exit rates is also discussed. It is found that SGC makes the medium phase dependent, so the optical bistability and multistability threshold can be controlled via relative phase between applied fields. Moreover, it is shown that the optical bistability can be switched to optical multistability, which is favorable for the next generation of all-optical systems and quantum networks.