Abstract
We theoretically investigate the quantum statistical properties of light transmitted through an atomic medium with strong optical nonlinearity induced by Rydberg–Rydberg van der Waals interactions. In our setup, atoms are located in a cavity and nonresonantly driven on a two-photon transition from their ground state to a Rydberg level via an intermediate state by the combination of the weak signal field and a strong control beam. To characterize the transmitted light, we compute the second-order correlation function . The simulations we obtained on the specific case of rubidium atoms suggest that the bunched or antibunched nature of the outgoing beam can be chosen at will by tuning the physical parameters appropriately.
Highlights
In an optically non-linear atomic medium, dispersion and absorption of a classical light beam depend on powers of its amplitude [1]
In the specific system considered here, we find this is achieved for a cavity decay rate γc = 2π × 1 MHz, a volume of the sample V = 40π × 15 × 15μm3, a sample density nat = 0.4μm−3, a control laser Rabi frequency Ωcf = 10γe, a cooperativity C = 1000, a detuning of the intermediate level ∆e = −35γe, a detuning of the Rydberg level
Let us first focus on the second-order correlation function at zero time g(2) (0), represented on Fig. III.1 a) as a function of the reduced detuning θ ≡ ∆c − ∆(c0) /γe
Summary
In an optically non-linear atomic medium, dispersion and absorption of a classical light beam depend on powers of its amplitude [1]. The standard Kerr dispersive non linearities obtained in non-interacting atomic ensembles, either in off-resonant two-level or resonant three-level configurations involving Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT), are too small to allow for quantum non-linear optical manipulations. To further enhance such non-linearities, EIT protocols were put forward in which the upper level of the ladder is a Rydberg level. Giant dispersive non-linear effects were experimentally obtained in an off-resonant Rydberg-EIT scheme using cold rubidium atoms placed in an optical cavity [9, 10].
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