Tailoring Atomic Response

Dengke Zhang, Chen Qing

Abstract Compact and robust structures to precisely control and acquire atomic spectra are increasingly important for the pursuit of widespread applications. Sub‐Doppler responses of thermal atoms are critical in constructing high‐precision devices and systems. In this study, a nanograting metasurface specifically is designed for atomic rubidium vapor and integrated it into a miniature vapor cell. Using the metasurface with built‐in multifunctional controls for light, pump‐probe atomic spectroscopy is established and sub‐Doppler responses are experimentally observed at low incident power. Moreover, the sub‐Doppler lineshape can be tailored by varying the incident polarization state. The spectrum transformation from absorption to transparency is observed. Using one of the sharp responses, laser stabilization with a stability of at 2 s can be achieved. This work reveals the effective control of atomic spectra with optical metasurface chips, which may have great potential for future developments in fundamental optics and novel optical applications.

Anonymous

Ashok Vudayagiri, Surya P. Tewari

An atomic response to a probe beam can be tailored by creating coherences between atomic levels with the help of another beam. Changing parameters of the control beam will change the nature of coherences and hence the nature of the atomic response as well. Such a change can depend upon intensities of both probe and control beams in a nonlinear fashion. We present a situation where this nonlinearity in dependence can be precisely controlled, to obtain different variations as desired. We also present a detailed analysis of how this nonlinear dependence arises and show that this is an interesting effect of several coherent population trap states that exist and a competition among them to trap the atomic population.

Kristian Helmerson

S. D. Jenkins, Janne Ruostekoski

We show that atoms in an optical lattice can respond cooperatively to resonant incident light and that such a response can be employed for precise control and manipulation of light on a subwavelength scale. Specific collective excitation modes of the system that result from strong light-mediated dipole-dipole interactions can be addressed by tailoring the spatial phase profile of the incident light. We demonstrate how the collective response can be used to produce optical excitations at well-isolated sites on the lattice.