Abstract
We theoretically investigate light scattering from an array of atoms into the guided modes of a waveguide. We show that the scattering of a plane wave laser field into the waveguide modes is dramatically enhanced for angles that deviate from the geometric Bragg angle. We derive a modified Bragg condition, and show that it arises from the dispersive interactions between the guided light and the atoms. Moreover, we identify various parameter regimes in which the scattering rate features a qualitatively different dependence on the atom number, such as linear, quadratic, oscillatory or constant behavior. We show that our findings are robust against voids in the atomic array, facilitating their experimental observation and potential applications. Our work sheds new light on collective light scattering and the interplay between geometry and interaction effects, with implications reaching beyond the optical domain.
Highlights
Bragg diffraction was originally discovered when investigating crystalline solids using X-rays
We observe that the scattering of a plane wave laser field into the waveguide modes is dramatically enhanced for angles that deviate from the geometric Bragg angle
Bragg scattering is based on the constructive interference of partial waves that originate from periodically arranged scatterers and is, a very general phenomenon that plays a central role in many branches of physics, most notably in optics [1]
Summary
Bragg diffraction was originally discovered when investigating crystalline solids using X-rays. The interplay between Bragg scattering and cooperative effects stemming from coherent scattering of light between emitters gives rise to surprising phenomena, such as photonic band gaps [17, 18], sub-radiant atomic mirrors [19, 20], improved optical quantum memories [21, 22], guided light in atomic chains [23, 24], or collective enhancement of chiral photon emission into a waveguide [25]. We identify situations in which the scattering rate scales quadratically and even oscillates as a function of the atom number All these qualitatively different scalings are shown to be largely independent of the asymmetry (or “chirality”) of the emitter-waveguide coupling [28] and robust against voids in the atomic array
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