Quantum nonlinear optics using cold Rydberg atoms

T. Peyronel; O. Firstenberg; Q.-Y. Liang; A. Gorshkov; M. D. Lukin; V. Vuletic

doi:10.1117/12.2043165

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19 February 2014 Quantum nonlinear optics using cold Rydberg atoms

T. Peyronel, O. Firstenberg, Q.-Y. Liang, A. Gorshkov, M. D. Lukin, V. Vuletic

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Proceedings Volume 8997, Advances in Photonics of Quantum Computing, Memory, and Communication VII; 89970R (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2043165
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2014, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Although photons do no a ect each other in vacuum, interactions between individual photons could enable a wide variety of scienti c and engineering applications. Here we report on the creation of a quantum nonlinear medium with large photon-photon interactions at the single photon level. Our approach relies on Electromagnetically Induced Transparency (EIT) techniques, in which individual photons are coherently mapped onto strongly interacting Rydberg atoms. Under EIT conditions, photons traveling in the medium are best described as part-matter part-light quantum particles, called polaritons, which experience long-range interactions through the Rydberg blockade. In particular, we demonstrate coherent photon-photon interactions, akin to those associated with conventional massive particles, paving the way for novel photonics states and quantum simulation with light.

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T. Peyronel, O. Firstenberg, Q.-Y. Liang, A. Gorshkov, M. D. Lukin, and V. Vuletic "Quantum nonlinear optics using cold Rydberg atoms", Proc. SPIE 8997, Advances in Photonics of Quantum Computing, Memory, and Communication VII, 89970R (19 February 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2043165

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