arXiv:quant-ph/0302142 · Journal of Optics B Quantum and Semiclassical Optics
Polarization squeezing in a four-level system
Vincent Josse, Aurélien Dantan, Alberto Bramati, M. Pinard, E. Giacobino
Abstract
We present a theoretical study of an ensemble of X-like four-level atoms placed in an optical cavity driven by a linearly polarized field. We show that the self-rotation (SR) process leads to polarization switching (PS). Below the PS threshold, both the mean field mode and the orthogonal vacuum mode are squeezed. We provide a simple analysis of the phenomena responsible for the squeezing and trace the origin of vacuum squeezing not to SR, but to a crossed Kerr effect induced by the mean field. Last, we show that this vacuum squeezing can be interpreted as polarization squeezing .