Cavity Nonlinear Optics at Low Photon Numbers from Collective Atomic Motion

Journal Article · Fri Nov 23 00:00:00 EST 2007 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.99.213601· OSTI ID:21024495

Gupta, Subhadeep; Moore, Kevin L; Murch, Kater W ^[1]; Stamper-Kurn, Dan M ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)

We report on Kerr nonlinearity and dispersive optical bistability of a Fabry-Perot optical resonator due to the displacement of ultracold atoms trapped within. In the driven resonator, such collective motion is induced by optical forces acting upon up to 10{sup 5} {sup 87}Rb atoms prepared in the lowest band of a one-dimensional intracavity optical lattice. The longevity of atomic motional coherence allows for strongly nonlinear optics at extremely low cavity photon numbers, as demonstrated by the observation of both branches of optical bistability at photon numbers below unity.

• OSTI ID: 21024495
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 99, Issue 21; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.213601; (c) 2007 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
FABRY-PEROT INTERFEROMETER
NONLINEAR OPTICS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
PHOTONS
RUBIDIUM 87
TRAPPING