Channelization architecture for wide-band slow light in atomic vapors

Zachary Dutton; Mark Bashkansky; Michael Steiner; John Reintjes

doi:10.1117/12.601714

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4 April 2005 Channelization architecture for wide-band slow light in atomic vapors

Zachary Dutton, Mark Bashkansky, Michael Steiner, John Reintjes

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Proceedings Volume 5735, Advanced Optical and Quantum Memories and Computing II; (2005) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.601714
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2005, 2005, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

We propose a "channelization" architecture to achieve wide-band electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) and ultra-slow light propagation in atomic Rb-87 vapors. EIT and slow light are achieved by shining a strong, resonant "pump" laser on the atomic medium, which allows slow and unattenuated propagation of a weaker "signal" beam, but only when a two-photon resonance condition is satisfied. Our wideband architecture is accomplished by dispersing a wideband signal spatially, transverse to the propagation direction, prior to entering the atomic cell. When particular Zeeman sub-levels are used in the EIT system, then one can introduce a magnetic field with a linear gradient such that the two-photon resonance condition is satisfied for each individual frequency component. Because slow light is a group velocity effect, utilizing differential phase shifts across the spectrum of a light pulse, one must then introduce a slight mismatch from perfect resonance to induce a delay. We present a model which accounts for diffusion of the atoms in the varying magnetic field as well as interaction with levels outside the ideal three-level system on which EIT is based. We find the maximum delay-bandwidth product decreases with bandwidth, and that delay-bandwidth product 1 should be achievable with bandwidth 50 MHz (5 ns delay). This is a large improvement over the 1 MHz bandwidths in conventional slow light systems and could be of use in signal processing applications.

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Zachary Dutton, Mark Bashkansky, Michael Steiner, and John Reintjes "Channelization architecture for wide-band slow light in atomic vapors", Proc. SPIE 5735, Advanced Optical and Quantum Memories and Computing II, (4 April 2005); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.601714

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