Ground-state Coherence Research Articles

Interaction-driven capacitance in graphene electron-hole double layer in strong magnetic fields

Fabrication of devices made by isolated Graphene or Graphene-like single layers (such as h-BN) has opened up possibility of examining highly correlated states of electron systems in parts of their phase diagram that is impossible to access in their counterpart devices such as semiconductor heterostructures. An example of such states are Graphene (or Graphene like) double layer electron-hole systems under strong magnetic fields where the separation between layers can be of the order of one magnetic length with interlayer tunneling still suppressed. In those separations correlations between electrons and holes are of crucial importance and must be included in determination of observable quantities. Here we report a thorough mean-field study of the coherent and crystalline ground states of the interacting balanced electron-hole Graphene systems in small and intermediate separations with each layer occupying up to four lowest lying Landau levels. We calculate the capacitance of such states as a function of layer separation and filling factor. Our calculations show significant enhancement of the capacitance compared to geometrical value due to quantum mechanical corrections.

Resonance retrieval of stored coherence in an rf-optical double-resonance experiment

We study the storage of coherences in atomic rubidium vapor with a three-level coupling scheme with two ground states and one electronically excited state driven by one optical (control) and one radiofrequency field. We initially store an atomic ground state coherence in the system. When retrieving the atomic coherence with a subsequent optical pulse, a second (signal) optical beam is created whose difference frequency to the control field is found to be determined by the atomic ground states Raman transition frequency.

Detection of dark states in two-dimensional electronic photon-echo signals via ground-state coherence.

Several recent experiments report on possibility of dark-state detection by means of so called beating maps of two-dimensional photon-echo spectroscopy [Ostroumov et al., Science 340, 52 (2013); Bakulin et al., Ultrafast Phenomena XIX (Springer International Publishing, 2015)]. The main idea of this detection scheme is to use coherence induced upon the laser excitation as a very sensitive probe. In this study, we investigate the performance of ground-state coherence in the detection of dark electronic states. For this purpose, we simulate beating maps of several models where the excited-state coherence can be hardly detected and is assumed not to contribute to the beating maps. The models represent strongly coupled electron-nuclear dynamics involving avoided crossings and conical intersections. In all the models, the initially populated optically accessible excited state decays to a lower-lying dark state within few hundreds femtoseconds. We address the role of Raman modes and of interstate-coupling nature. Our findings suggest that the presence of low-frequency Raman active modes significantly increases the chances for detection of dark states populated via avoided crossings, whereas conical intersections represent a more challenging task.

Storage of fiber-guided light in a nanofiber-trapped ensemble of cold atoms

Tapered optical fibers with a nanofiber waist are versatile tools for interfacing light and matter. In this context, laser-cooled atoms trapped in the evanescent field surrounding the optical nanofiber are of particular interest: They exhibit both long ground-state coherence times and efficient coupling to fiber-guided fields. Here, we demonstrate electromagnetically induced transparency, slow light, and the storage of fiber-guided optical pulses in an ensemble of cold atoms trapped in a nanofiber-based optical lattice. We measure a slow-down of light pulses to group velocities of 50 m/s. Moreover, we store optical pulses at the single photon level and retrieve them on demand in the fiber after 2 microseconds with an overall efficiency of (3.0 +/- 0.4) %. Our results show that nanofiber-based interfaces for cold atoms have great potential for the realization of building blocks for future optical quantum information networks.

Effects of temperature and ground-state coherence decay on enhancement and amplification in aΔatomic system

We study phase-sensitive amplification of electromagnetically induced transparency in a warm ${}^{85}$Rb vapor wherein a microwave driving field couples the two lower-energy states of a {\Lambda} energy-level system thereby transforming into a {\Delta} system. Our theoretical description includes effects of ground-state coherence decay and temperature effects. In particular, we demonstrate that driving-field-enhanced electromagnetically induced transparency is robust against significant loss of coherence between ground states. We also show that for specific field intensities, a threshold rate of ground-state coherence decay exists at every temperature. This threshold separates the probe-transmittance behavior into two regimes: probe amplification vs probe attenuation. Thus, electromagnetically induced transparency plus amplification is possible at any temperature in a {\Delta} system.

Self-analysis of coherent oscillations in time-resolved optical signals.

The specific origin of oscillations in time-resolved optical signals, in particular, for complex systems with nontrivial interstate couplings and nonseparable electron-nuclear motion, is often difficult to assign. Here, we show that coherent oscillations in two-dimensional photon-echo are capable of self-analysis; their beating maps provide a tool to tell apart ground-state bleach (GSB), stimulated emission (SE), and excited-state absorption (ESA) contributions to the oscillatory signal component. Because GSB carries information on ground-state coherence while SE and ESA reflect the excited-state coherence, the observed oscillations can be unambiguously assigned to ground-state or excited-state coherent motion. The findings prove especially advantageous for systems with dense detectable manifolds of states pertaining to each electronic state. An analogous analysis for frequency-resolved (dispersed) pump-probe spectroscopy is discussed briefly.

Effect of an additional magnetic field on Hanle-type absorption resonances

We computationally compare Hanle-type resonances for a transition of the line for magnetic field scans parallel (longitudinal scan) and perpendicular (transverse scan) to the direction of propagation of the optical field in the presence of an additional transverse magnetic field (TMF). For a linearly polarized light, the coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances split at line centre and are identical for both longitudinal and transverse scans. When the probe beam ellipticity is varied, the effect of the TMF is found to be opposite for longitudinal and transverse scans. For a longitudinal scan, the splitting observed in the CPT resonance evolves into an enhanced absorption resonance with an increase in ellipticity. For a transverse scan, the splitting vanishes at higher ellipticities. This can be understood in terms of population redistribution in the ground state sublevels and near-neighbor ground state coherences created by the TMF. We also show that the enhanced absorption signal that splits the CPT resonance strongly depends on transit time, and the CPT resonance strength depends on the excited state dephasing rate.

Generalized multipolaron expansion for the spin-boson model: Environmental entanglement and the biased two-state system

We develop a systematic variational coherent-state expansion for the many-body ground state of the spin-boson model, in which a quantum two-level system is coupled to a continuum of harmonic oscillators. Energetic constraints at the heart of this technique are rationalized in terms of polarons (displacements of the bath states in agreement with classical expectations) and antipolarons (counterdisplacements due to quantum tunneling effects). We present a comprehensive study of the ground-state two-level system population and coherence as a function of tunneling amplitude, dissipation strength, and bias (akin to asymmetry of the double-well potential defining the two-state system). The entanglement among the different environmental modes is investigated by looking at spectroscopic signatures of the bipartite entanglement entropy between a given environmental mode and all the other modes. We observe a drastic change in behavior of this entropy for increasing dissipation, indicative of the entangled nature of the environmental states. In addition, the entropy spreads over a large energy range at strong dissipation, a testimony to the wide entanglement window characterizing the underlying Kondo state. Finally, comparisons to accurate numerical renormalization-group calculations and to the exact Bethe ansatz solution of the model demonstrate the rapid convergence of our variationally optimized multipolaron expansion, suggesting that it should also be a useful tool for dissipative models of greater complexity, as relevant for numerous systems of interest in quantum physics and chemistry.

Investigations of the low frequency modes of ferric cytochrome c using vibrational coherence spectroscopy.

Femtosecond vibrational coherence spectroscopy is used to investigate the low frequency vibrational dynamics of the electron transfer heme protein, cytochrome c (cyt c). The vibrational coherence spectra of ferric cyt c have been measured as a function of excitation wavelength within the Soret band. Vibrational coherence spectra obtained with excitation between 412 and 421 nm display a strong mode at ∼44 cm–1 that has been assigned to have a significant contribution from heme ruffling motion in the electronic ground state. This assignment is based partially on the presence of a large heme ruffling distortion in the normal coordinate structural decomposition (NSD) analysis of the X-ray crystal structures. When the excitation wavelength is moved into the ∼421–435 nm region, the transient absorption increases along with the relative intensity of two modes near ∼55 and 30 cm–1. The intensity of the mode near 44 cm–1 appears to minimize in this region and then recover (but with an opposite phase compared to the blue excitation) when the laser is tuned to 443 nm. These observations are consistent with the superposition of both ground and excited state coherence in the 421–435 nm region due to the excitation of a weak porphyrin-to-iron charge transfer (CT) state, which has a lifetime long enough to observe vibrational coherence. The mode near 55 cm–1 is suggested to arise from ruffling in a transient CT state that has a less ruffled heme due to its iron d6 configuration.

Nonlinear polarization rotation of a Gaussian pulse propagating through an EIT medium

We study numerically the nonlinear magneto-optical rotation of polarization (NMOR) of the laser pulse during its propagation through a cold Rb cloud with induced Zeeman coherences and electromagnetically induced transparency. Evolution of NMOR is calculated by solving the Maxwell–Bloch equations. We consider a linearly polarized Gaussian pulse with different pulse peak amplitudes and widths. For an intensity peak of 5 mW cm−2 and full-width at half-maximum of 10 μs, transient behaviour of NMOR does not follow the pulse intensity variation: NMOR begins to decrease as the pulse's intensity nears its peak value. When the pulse has a smaller peak intensity, NMOR behaves qualitatively differently: the angle of rotation constantly increases during the pulse propagation. Observed differences are explained by the optical pumping into the dark state and the behaviour of the ground-state coherences subjected to coherent population trapping. The same pulse intensity, from different sides of the pulse, during rising and falling sides, produces qualitatively different NMOR shapes, its amplitudes and widths which result can be explained by the successive excitation of atoms during the pulse propagation. It was shown that increasing the relaxation rates of the ground-state coherences, shifts the maximum of the NMOR to higher magnetic field, while the atomic density strongly influences the magnitude of the NMOR.

Quantum reflections and shunting of polariton condensate wave trains: Implementation of a logic AND gate

We study the dynamics of polariton condensate wave trains that propagate along a quasi-one-dimensional waveguide. Through the application of tuneable potential barriers the propagation can be reflected and multiple reflections used to confine and store a propagating state. Energy-relaxation processes allow the delayed relaxation into a long-living coherent ground state. Aside from the potential routing of polariton condensate signals, the system forms an AND-type logic gate compatible with incoherent inputs.

Scalable quantum computation via a coherent state input–output process in a low-Q cavity in the atom–cavity intermediate coupling region

We propose a basic scheme to construct a hybrid controlled phase-flip (CPF) gate between a flying pulse qubit and a stationary atomic qubit, assisted by a cavity input–output process for a low-Q cavity in the atom–cavity intermediate coupling region. The qubits can be encoded on the coherent states and ground states of the single-trapped L-level atom, respectively. We present a theoretical model of the hybrid CPF gate, whose basic strategy is to control the reflectivity of the input coherent optical pulse to obtain a phase shift conditioned by the different internal atomic states by adjusting the parameters of the cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) system. The resulting basic scheme can be used to construct nonlocal gates between remote atomic qubits confined in spatially separated cavities, and also for the generation of an atomic cluster state. The performance and experimental feasibilities of the proposed scheme indicate that it is robust against practical noise and feasible with current technologies. Thus, our scheme is applicable for use in large-scale quantum computation.

Isomer-dependent vibrational coherence in ultrafast photoisomerization

Molecular switches based on the N-alkylated indanylidene-pyrroline (NAIP) framework mimic some of the outstanding double bond photoisomerization properties of retinal Schiff bases in rhodopsin, most notably, the occurrence of vibrational coherences in the excited and photoproduct ground states. Focusing on the zwitterionic NAIP switch and using broadband transient absorption spectroscopy, our previous investigation of the Z to E photoisomerization dynamics is now extended to the study of the backward E to Z photoisomerization and to the role of the solvent on the vibrational coherence accompanying the photoreaction. Despite very similar signatures of excited-state vibrational coherence and similar isomerization times, the backward reaction has a significantly smaller isomerization yield than the forward reaction, and most interestingly, does not display ground state coherences. This indicates that both the quantum yield and vibrational dephasing depend critically on the photochemical reaction path followed to reach the ground potential energy surface. In addition, investigation of the effect of the solvent viscosity shows that vibrational dephasing is mainly an intramolecular process.

Power-broadening-free correlation spectroscopy in cold atoms

We report a detailed investigation on the properties of correlation spectra for cold atoms under the condition of Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT). We describe the transition in the system from correlation to anti-correlation as the intensity of the fields increases. Such transition occurs for laser frequencies around the EIT resonance, which is characterized by a correlation peak. The transition point between correlation and anti-correlation is independent of power broadening and provides directly the ground-state coherence time. We introduce a method to extract in real time the correlation spectra of the system. The experiments were done in two distinct magneto-optical traps (MOT), one for cesium and the other for rubidium atoms, employing different detection schemes. A simplified theory is introduced assuming three-level atoms in $\Lambda$ configuration interacting with a laser with stochastic phase fluctuations, providing a good agreement with the experimental observations.

Coherence properties of nanofiber-trapped cesium atoms.

We experimentally study the ground state coherence properties of cesium atoms in a nanofiber-based two-color dipole trap, localized ∼ 200 nm away from the fiber surface. Using microwave radiation to coherently drive the clock transition, we record Ramsey fringes as well as spin echo signals and infer a reversible dephasing time of T(2)(*) = 0.6 ms and an irreversible dephasing time of T(2)(') = 3.7 ms. By modeling the signals, we find that, for our experimental parameters, T(2)(*) and T(2)(') are limited by the finite initial temperature of the atomic ensemble and the heating rate, respectively. Our results represent a fundamental step towards establishing nanofiber-based traps for cold atoms as a building block in an optical fiber quantum network.

Ramsey effects in coherent resonances at closed transition Fg = 2 → Fe = 3 of 87Rb

Experimental and theoretical investigations show the strong effect of the pump beam, spatially separated from the probe beam, on the probe's electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA) and nonlinear magneto-optical rotation (NMOR). Linearly polarized pump and probe laser beams are locked to the Fg = 2 → Fe = 3 transition of the 87Rb D2 line and pass a vacuum Rb gas cell coaxially. We show that the observed narrowing of EIA and NMOR resonances is due to the Ramsey effect. Linewidths of the resonances decrease when the size of the dark region between pump and probe lasers increases. Variation of the angle between pump and probe linear polarizations strongly influences the phases of atomic coherences generated by the pump beam and consequently the line-shapes of the probe EIA and NMOR resonances. Complete change of the resonance sign is possible if the phases of the ground state coherences, Δmg = 2, are altered by π. The central EIA fringe becomes less pronounced if the probe intensity increases, due to the larger probe contribution to atomic evolution. Ramsey-like interference is a manifestation of the evolution of ground state Zeeman coherences, required for EIA, in the dark region in the presence of a small magnetic field.

Gyroscopes based on nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

We propose solid-state gyroscopes based on ensembles of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (${\rm NV^-}$) centers in diamond. In one scheme, rotation of the nitrogen-vacancy symmetry axis will induce Berry phase shifts in the ${\rm NV^{-}}$ electronic ground-state coherences proportional to the solid angle subtended by the symmetry axis. We estimate sensitivity in the range of $5\times10^{-3} {\rm rad/s/\sqrt{Hz}}$ in a 1 ${\rm mm^3}$ sensor volume using a simple Ramsey sequence. Incorporating dynamical decoupling to suppress dipolar relaxation may yield sensitivity at the level of $10^{-5} {\rm rad/s/\sqrt{Hz}}$. With a modified Ramsey scheme, Berry phase shifts in the ${\rm ^{14}N}$ hyperfine sublevels would be employed. The projected sensitivity is in the range of $10^{-5} {\rm rad/s/\sqrt{Hz}}$, however the smaller gyromagnetic ratio reduces sensitivity to magnetic-field noise by several orders of magnitude. Reaching $10^{-5} {\rm rad/s/\sqrt{Hz}}$ would represent an order of magnitude improvement over other compact, solid-state gyroscope technologies.

Spontaneous creation and persistence of ground-state coherence in a resonantly driven intracavity atomic ensemble

The spontaneous creation and persistence of ground-state coherence in an ensemble of intracavity Rb atoms has been observed as a quantum beat. Our system realizes a quantum eraser, where the detection of a first photon prepares a superposition of ground-state Zeeman sublevels, while detection of a second erases the stored information. Beats appear in the time-delayed photon-photon coincidence rate (intensity correlation function). We study the beats theoretically and experimentally as a function of system parameters, and find them remarkably robust against perturbations such as spontaneous emission. Although beats arise most simply through single-atom-mediated quantum interference, scattering pathways involving pairs of atoms interfere also in our intracavity experiment. We present a detailed model which identifies all sources of interference and accounts for experimental realities such as imperfect pre-pumping of the atomic beam, cavity birefringence, and the transit of atoms across the cavity mode.

A dark-line two-dimensional magneto-optical trap of 85Rb atoms with high optical depth

We describe the apparatus of a dark-line two-dimensional (2D) magneto-optical trap (MOT) of (85)Rb cold atoms with high optical depth (OD). Different from the conventional configuration, two (of three) pairs of trapping laser beams in our 2D MOT setup do not follow the symmetry axes of the quadrupole magnetic field: they are aligned with 45° angles to the longitudinal axis. Two orthogonal repumping laser beams have a dark-line volume in the longitudinal axis at their cross over. With a total trapping laser power of 40 mW and repumping laser power of 18 mW, we obtain an atomic OD up to 160 in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) scheme, which corresponds to an atomic-density-length product NL = 2.05 × 10(15) m(-2). In a closed two-state system, the OD can become as large as more than 600. Our 2D MOT configuration allows full optical access of the atoms in its longitudinal direction without interfering with the trapping and repumping laser beams spatially. Moreover, the zero magnetic field along the longitudinal axis allows the cold atoms maintain a long ground-state coherence time without switching off the MOT magnetic field, which makes it possible to operate the MOT at a high repetition rate and a high duty cycle. Our 2D MOT is ideal for atomic-ensemble-based quantum optics applications, such as EIT, entangled photon pair generation, optical quantum memory, and quantum information processing.

Two-Dimensional Electronic Spectroscopy Reveals the Dynamics of Phonon-Mediated Excitation Pathways in Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Electronic two-dimensional Fourier transform (2D-FT) spectroscopy is applied to semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes and provides a spectral and time-domain map of exciton-phonon assisted excitations. Using 12 fs long pulses, we resolve side-bands above the E(22) transition that correspond with the RBM, G, G', 2G and other multiphonon modes. The appearance of 2D-FT spectral cross-peaks explicitly resolves discrete phonon assisted population transfer that scatters excitations to the E(22) (Γ-pt) state, often through a second-order exciton-phonon coupling process. All 2D-FT peaks exhibit a strong peak amplitude modulation at the G-band period (21 fs) which we show originates from an impulsive stimulated Raman process that populates a ground-state G-band vibrational coherence over a 1.3 ps phonon lifetime.