Fast, optically controlled Kerr phase shifter for digital signal processing.

We demonstrate an optically controlled Kerr phase shifter using a room-temperature 85Rb vapor operating in a Raman gain scheme. Phase shifts from zero to π relative to an unshifted reference wave are observed, and gated operations are demonstrated. We further demonstrate the versatile digital manipulation of encoded signal light with an encoded phase-control light field using an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer. Generalizations of this scheme should be capable of full manipulation of a digitized signal field at high speed, opening the door to future applications.

Electromagnetic wave dynamics in matter-wave superradiant scattering.

We present a small-signal wave propagation theory on matter-wave superradiant scattering. We show, in a longitudinally excited condensate, that the backward-propagating, superradiantly generated optical field propagates with ultraslow group velocity and that the small-signal gain profile has a Bragg resonance. We further show a unidirectional suppression of optical superradiant scattering, and explain why matter-wave superradiance can occur only when the pump laser is red detuned. This is the first analytical theory on field propagation in matter-wave superradiance that can explain all matter-wave superradiance experiments to date that used a single-frequency, long-pulse, red-detuned laser.

Observation of a red-blue detuning asymmetry in matter-wave superradiance.

We report the first experimental observation of strong suppression of matter-wave superradiance using blue-detuned pump light and demonstrate a pump-laser detuning asymmetry in the collective atomic recoil motion. In contrast to all previous theoretical frameworks, which predict that the process should be symmetric with respect to the sign of the detuning of the pump laser from the one-photon resonance, we find that for condensates the symmetry is broken. With high condensate densities and red-detuned pump light the distinctive multiorder, matter-wave scattering pattern is clearly visible, whereas with blue-detuned pump light superradiance is strongly suppressed. However, in the limit of a dilute atomic gas symmetry is restored.

Matter-wave self-imaging by atomic center-of-mass motion induced interference.

We demonstrate matter-wave self-imaging resulting from atomic center-of-mass motion-based interference. We show that non-negligible atomic center-of-mass motion and an instantaneous Doppler shift can drastically change the condensate momentum distribution, resulting in a periodic collapse and the recurrence of condensate diffraction probability as a function of the stationary light-field pulsing time. The observed matter-wave self-imaging is characterized by an atomic center-of-mass motion induced population amplitude interference in the presence of the light field that simultaneously minimizes all high (n>or=1) diffraction orders and maximizes the zeroth diffraction component.

Gain-assisted large and rapidly responding Kerr Effect using a room-temperature active Raman gain medium.

A four-level N scheme with a two-mode active Raman gain core is investigated for large and rapidly responding Kerr effect enhancement at room temperature. The new scheme is fundamentally different from the electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT-)based ultraslow-wave Kerr effect enhancement scheme. It eliminates the requirement of group velocity matching and multispecies medium. It also eliminates significant probe field attenuation or distortion associated with weakly driven EIT-based schemes. We show that a probe field can acquire a large, frequency tunable, gain-assisted nonlinear phase shift and yet travel with gain-assisted superluminal propagation velocity. This raises the possibility of rapidly responding, frequency tunable nonlinear phase switching and phase gates for information science.

Observation of quantum destructive interference in inelastic two-wave mixing.

Using room-temperature 87Rb atoms we demonstrate a quantum destructive interference between two one-photon excitation pathways in an inelastic two-wave mixing scheme that corresponds to the "strong-storage and weak-retrieval" of an optical field. This destructive interference is fundamentally different from the usual electromagnetically induced transparency because it is critically dependent on the generation and propagation of a wave-mixing field. We also show that contrary to the common belief, the maximum atomic coherence in general does not lead to the maximum mixing-wave conversion efficiency.

Formation and propagation of coupled ultraslow optical soliton pairs in a cold three-state double- system.

We investigate the simultaneous formation and propagation of coupled ultraslow optical soliton pairs in a cold, lifetime-broadened three-state double-Lambda atomic system. Starting from the equations of motion of atomic response and two-mode probe-control electromagnetic fields, we derive coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations that govern the nonlinear evolution of the envelopes of the probe fields in this four-wave mixing scheme by means of the standard method of multiple scales. We demonstrate that for weak probe fields and with suitable operation conditions, a pair of coupled optical solitons moving with remarkably slow propagating velocity can be established in such a highly resonant atomic medium. The key elements to such a shape preserving, well matched yet interacting soliton pair is the balance between dispersion effect and self- and cross-phase modulation effects of the system.

Formation and propagation of matched and coupled ultraslow optical soliton pairs in a four-level double- system.

We investigate the simultaneous formation and stable propagation of ultraslow optical soliton pairs in a lifetime broadened four-state atomic system under double-Lambda excitation with large one- and two-photon detunings. We show that detrimental probe field distortions due to strong dispersion effects under weak driving conditions can be well balanced by self- and cross-phase modulation effects, leading to a pair of temporal, group velocity, and amplitude matched ultraslow optical solitons of different frequencies.

Dynamics of ultraslow optical solitons in a cold three-state atomic system.

We present a systematic study on the dynamics of a ultraslow optical soliton in a cold, highly resonant three-state atomic system under Raman excitation. Using a method of multiple scales we derive a modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation with high-order corrections that describe effects of linear and differential absorption, nonlinear dispersion, delay response of nonlinear refractive index, diffraction, and third-order dispersion. Taking these effects as perturbations we investigate in detail the evolution of the ultraslow optical soliton using a standard soliton perturbation theory. We show that due to these high-order corrections the ultraslow optical soliton undergoes deformation, change of propagating velocity, and shift of oscillating frequency. In addition, a small radiation superposed by dispersive waves is also generated from the soliton. The results of the present work may provide a guidance that is useful for experimental demonstration of ultraslow optical soliton in cold atomic systems.

Efficient multiwave mixing in the ultraslow propagation regime and the role of multiphoton quantum destructive interference.

We analyze a lifetime-broadened four-state four-wave-mixing (FWM) scheme in the ultraslow propagation regime and show that the generated FWM field can acquire the same group velocity and pulse shape as those of an ultraslow pump field. We show that a new type of induced transparency resulted from multiphoton destructive interference that significantly reduced the pump field loss. Such induced transparency based on multphoton destructive interference may have important applications in other nonlinear optical processes.

Inhibiting the onset of the three-photon destructive interference in ultraslow propagation-enhanced four-wave mixing with dual induced transparency.

We propose a dual electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) based multiwave mixing scheme that retains the significantly enhanced conversion efficiency enabled by ultraslow propagation of pump waves, yet is also capable of inhibiting and delaying the onset of the detrimental three-photon destructive interference that limits the further growth of the four-wave mixing (FWM) field. We show that the new scheme exhibits a wave-matching condition that is fundamentally different from the conventional FWM without EIT, and the efficient generation of the mixing wave is not critically dependent upon the FWM detuning to achieve constructive interference as required in the conventional FWM. These are significant steps forward in enabling applications of ultraslow wave nonlinear optics.

Quantum entanglement of Fock states with perfectly efficient ultraslow single-probe photon four-wave mixing.

We propose a method to achieve quantum entanglement of two Fock states with perfectly efficient, ultraslow propagation enhanced four-wave mixing. A cold atomic medium is illuminated with a two-mode cw control laser to produce coherent mixtures of excited states. An ultraslowly propagating, single-photon quantum probe field completes the four-wave mixing with 100% photon flux conversion efficiency, creating a depth dependent entanglement of two Fock states. We show that at a suitable propagation distance, a maximum entangled state is created with a single-photon wave-packet state that has 50% probability of being in each of two product-type Fock states.

Opening optical four-wave mixing channels with giant enhancement using ultraslow pump waves.

We show that by strongly modifying the dispersion properties of a four-level system, non-existing wave mixing channels can be opened and significantly enhanced. Specifically, we show that coherent optical four-wave mixing with a pump wave mediated by electromagnetically induced transparency (thereby propagating with an extremely slow group velocity) will lead to many orders of magnitude enhancement in the amplitude of the generated wave. Contrary to common belief, a large transparency window, which causes a large propagation velocity, actually diminishes efficient mixing wave production.

Observation of a critical concentration in laser-induced transparency and multiphoton excitation and ionization in rubidium.

We report the behavior of Autler-Townes splitting and production of a four-wave mixing (FWM) field in rubidium in the context of laser-induced transparency. Gain saturation of the FWM and simultaneous suppression of Autler-Townes splitting above a critical concentration are interpreted in terms of the odd-photon destructive interference effect. The results demonstrate that, when multimode lasers are used, odd-photon destructive interference significantly limits the high-efficiency and high-intensity FWM generation promised by early studies of laser-induced transparency.

Observations of predicted cooperative shifts in optically pumped stimulated emissions in Xe.

In a recent study Garrett showed that stimulated emissions can be suppressed and shifted under the influence of a wave-mixing interference [Phys. Rev. Lett. 70, 4059 (1993)]. We observe the predicted pressure-dependent frequency shifts in optically pumped stimulated emissions from Xe.

Geometry-independent, phase-matched measurement of a vacuum-ultraviolet oscillator strength in xenon.

A new method for accurately measuring the oscillator strengths of gases is presented. The technique is based on determining the phase-matching conditions for four-wave mixing in a gas mixture. When high gas pressures are used, the measurement is independent of the detailed spatial-mode properties of the laser. By using the known refractive index of argon as a reference, the oscillator strength of the xenon ground-state-to-7s [3/2](1) transition at 117.04 nm was found to be 0.098 +/- 0.012.