arXiv subjects

Avi Pe'er

Publications and source records attributed to Avi Pe'er.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Squeezing-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The sensitivity of classical Raman spectroscopy methods, such as Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS) or Stimulated Raman spectroscopy (SRS), is ultimately limited by shot-noise from the stimulating fields. We present the complete theoretical analysis of a squeezing-enhanced version of Raman spectroscopy that overcomes the shot-noise limit of sensitivity with enhancement of the Raman signal and inherent background suppression, while remaining fully compatible with standard Raman spectroscopy methods. By incorporating the Raman sample between two phase-sensitive parametric amplifiers that squeeze the light along orthogonal quadrature axes, the typical intensity measurement of the Raman response is converted into a quantum-limited, super-sensitive estimation of phase. The resonant Raman response in the sample induces a phase shift to signal-idler frequency-pairs within the fingerprint spectrum of the molecule, resulting in amplification of the resonant Raman signal by the squeezing factor of the parametric amplifiers, whereas the non-resonant background is annihilated by destructive interference. Seeding the interferometer with classical coherent light stimulates the Raman signal further without increasing the background, effectively forming squeezing-enhanced versions of CARS and SRS, where the quantum enhancement is achieved on top of the classical stimulation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Theory of coupled parametric oscillators beyond coupled Ising spins

Periodically driven parametric oscillators offer a convenient way to simulate classical Ising spins. When many parametric oscillators are coupled dissipatively, they can be analogous to networks of Ising spins, forming an effective coherent Ising machine (CIM) that efficiently solves computationally hard optimization problems. In the companion paper, we studied experimentally the minimal realization of a CIM, i.e. two coupled parametric oscillators [L. Bello, M. Calvanese Strinati, E. G. Dalla Torre, and A. Pe'er, Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 083901 (2019)]. We found that the presence of an energy-conserving coupling between the oscillators can dramatically change the dynamics, leading to everlasting beats, which transcend the Ising description. Here, we analyze this effect theoretically by solving numerically and, when possible, analytically the equations of motion of two parametric oscillators. Our main tools include: (i) a Floquet analysis of the linear equations, (ii) a multi-scale analysis based on a separation of time scales between the parametric oscillations and the beats, and (iii) the numerical identification of limit cycles and attractors. Using these tools, we fully determine the phase boundaries and critical exponents of the model, as a function of the intensity and the phase of the coupling and of the pump. Our study highlights the universal character of the phase diagram and its independence on the specific type of nonlinearity present in the system. Furthermore, we identify new phases of the model with more than two attractors, possibly describing a larger spin algebra.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2019

Persistent coherent beating in coupled parametric oscillators

Coupled parametric oscillators were recently employed as simulators of artificial Ising networks, with the potential to solve computationally hard minimization problems. We demonstrate a new dynamical regime within the simplest network - two coupled parametric oscillators, where the oscillators never reach a steady state, but show persistent, full-scale, coherent beats, whose frequency reflects the coupling properties and strength. We present a detailed theoretical and experimental study and show that this new dynamical regime appears over a wide range of parameters near the oscillation threshold and depends on the nature of the coupling (dissipative or energy preserving). Thus, a system of coupled parametric oscillators transcends the Ising description and manifests unique coherent dynamics, which may have important implications for coherent computation machines.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2017

Lifting the Bandwidth Limit of Optical Homodyne Measurement

Homodyne measurement is a corner-stone of quantum optics. It measures the fundamental variables of quantum electrodynamics - the quadratures of light, which represent the cosine-wave and sine-wave components of an optical field and constitute the quantum optical analog of position and momentum. Yet, standard homodyne, which is used to measure the quadrature information, suffers from a severe bandwidth limitation: While the bandwidth of optical states can easily span many THz, standard homodyne detection is inherently limited to the electrically accessible, MHz to GHz range, leaving a dramatic gap between the relevant optical phenomena and the measurement capability. We demonstrate a fully parallel optical homodyne measurement across an arbitrary optical bandwidth, effectively lifting this bandwidth limitation completely. Using optical parametric amplification, which amplifies one quadrature while attenuating the other, we measure two-mode quadrature squeezing of 1.7dB below the vacuum level simultaneously across a bandwidth of 55THz, using just one local-oscillator - the pump. As opposed to standard homodyne, our measurement is highly robust to detection inefficiency, and was obtained with $>50\%$ loss in the detection channel. This broadband parametric homodyne measurement opens a wide window for parallel processing of quantum information.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Dispersion Compensation using a Prism-pair

A simple and intuitive formulation is reviewed for the Brewster prism-pair - A most common component in spectroscopy-oriented experiments using ultrashort pulses. This review aims to provide students and beginners in the field of spectroscopy with a unified description of a major experimental component. The total spectral phase experienced by a broadband light field is calculated after passing through a pair of Brewster-cut prisms, demonstrating the flexibility of the prism pair to provide tuned, low-loss control of the dispersion and spectral phase experienced by ultrashort pulses

physics.optics↗

arXiv2016

Efficient simulation of wave-packet dynamics on multiple coupled potential surfaces with split potential propagation

We present a simple method to expedite simulation of quantum wave-packet dynamics by more than a factor of $2$ with the Strang split-operator propagation. Dynamics of quantum wave-packets are often evaluated using the the \emph{Strang} split-step propagation, where the kinetic part of the Hamiltonian $\hat{T}$ and the potential part $\hat{V}$ are piecewise integrated according to $e^{- i \hat{H} δt} \approx e^{- i \hat{V} δt/2} e^{- i \hat{T}δt} e^{- i \hat{V} δt/2}$, which is accurate to second order in the propagation time $δt$. In molecular quantum dynamics, the potential propagation occurs over multiple coupled potential surfaces and requires matrix exponentiation for each position in space and time which is computationally demanding. Our method employs further splitting of the potential matrix $\hat{V}$ into a diagonal space dependent part $\hat{V}_{D}(R)$ and an off-diagonal time-dependent coupling-field $\hat{V}_{OD}(t)$, which then requires only a single matrix exponentiation for each time-step, considerably reducing the calculation time even in the simplest two-surface interaction ($\sim$70\% reduction observed in potential propagation time). We analyze the additional error due to the potential splitting and show it to be small compared to the inherent error associated with the kinetic/potential splitting.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2016

Coherent Amplification of Ultrafast Molecular Dynamics in an Optical Oscillator

Optical oscillators present a powerful optimization mechanism. The inherent competition for the gain resources between possible modes of oscillation entails the prevalence of the most efficient single mode. We harness this 'ultrafast' coherent feedback to optimize an optical field \emph{in time}, and show that when an optical oscillator based on a molecular gain medium is synchronously-pumped by ultrashort pulses, a temporally coherent multi mode field can develop that optimally dumps a general, dynamically-evolving vibrational wave-packet, into a \emph{single vibrational target state}. Measuring the emitted field opens a new window to visualization and control of fast molecular dynamics. The realization of such a coherent oscillator with hot alkali dimers appears within experimental reach.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Octave-Spanning Phase Control for Single-Cycle Bi-Photons

The quantum correlation of octave-spanning time-energy entangled bi-photons can be as short as a single optical cycle. Many experiments designed to explore and exploit this correlation require a uniform spectral phase (transform-limited) with very low loss. So far, transform-limited single-cycle bi-photons were not demonstrated, primarily due to lack of precision control of the spectral phase. Here, we demonstrate precise correction of the spectral-phase of near-octave bi-photons to less than ($<π/20$) (residual phase) over nearly a full octave in frequency ($\approx1330-2600$ nm). Using a prism-pair with an effectively-negative separation, we obtain tuned, very low-loss compensation of both the 2nd and 4th dispersion orders. We verify the bi-photons spectral phase directly, using a non-classical bi-photon interference effect.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

A Review of Cavity Design for Kerr Lens Mode-Locked Solid-State Lasers

We provide a critical review of the fundamental concepts of Kerr lens mode-locking (KLM), along with a detailed description of the experimental considerations involved in the realization of a mode-locked oscillator. In addition, we review recent developments that overcome inherent limitations and disadvantages in standard KLM lasers. Our review is aimed mainly at readers who wish to realize/maintain such an oscillator or for those who wish to better understand this major experimental tool.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Intra-cavity gain shaping of mode-locked Ti:Sapphire laser oscillations

The gain properties of an oscillator strongly affect its behavior. When the gain is homogeneous, different modes compete for gain resources in a `winner takes all' manner, whereas with inhomogeneous gain, modes can coexist if they utilize different gain resources. We demonstrate precise control over the mode competition in a mode locked Ti:sapphire oscillator by manipulation and spectral shaping of the gain properties, thus steering the competition towards a desired, otherwise inaccessible, oscillation. Specifically, by adding a small amount of spectrally shaped inhomogeneous gain to the standard homogeneous gain oscillator, we selectively enhance a desired two-color oscillation, which is inherently unstable to mode competition and could not exist in a purely homogeneous gain oscillator. By tuning the parameters of the additional inhomogeneous gain we flexibly control the center wavelengths, relative intensities and widths of the two colors.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

Observing the nonclassical nature of ultra-broadband bi-photons at ultrafast speed

We observe at record-high speed the nonclassical nature of ultra-broadband bi-photons, reducing the measurement time by four orders of magnitude compared to standard techniques of Hong-Ou-Mandel interference or sum-frequency generation. We measure the quantum state of the broadband bi-photons, amplitude and phase, with a pairwise "Mach-Zehnder" quantum interferometer, where bi-photons that are generated in one nonlinear crystal are enhanced (constructive interference) or diminished (destructive interference) in another crystal, depending on the bi-photon phase. We verify the quantum nature of the interference by observing the dependence of the fringe visibility on internal loss. Since destructive interference is equivalent to an attempt to annihilate in the second crystal (by up-conversion) the bi-photons that were created in the first crystal (by down-conversion), the fringe visibility is a measure for the quantum bi-photon purity of the broadband light. The measurement speed-up is due to the large homodyne-like gain from the strong pump ($\!\sim\!10^{7-9}$) in the up-conversion efficiency of single bi-photons, which enables the use of simple photo-detection of the full, ultra-high photon flux instead of single-photon / coincidence counting.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2014

The Classical-to-Quantum Transition with Broadband Four-Wave Mixing

A key question of quantum optics is how nonclassical bi-photon correlations at low power evolve into classical coherence at high-power. Direct observation of the crossover from quantum to classical behavior is desirable, but difficult due to the lack of adequate experimental techniques that cover the ultra-wide dynamic range in photon flux from the single photon regime to the classical level. We investigate bi-photon correlations within the spectrum of light generated by broadband four-wave mixing (FWM) over a \emph{large dynamic range of $\sim80dB$ in photon flux} across the classical-to-quantum transition using a two-photon interference effect that distinguishes between classical and quantum behavior. We explore the quantum-classical nature of the light by observing the interference contrast dependence on internal loss and demonstrate quantum collapse and revival of the interference when the FWM gain in the fiber becomes imaginary.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Mode Locking At and Below the CW Threshold

We explore experimentally a new regime of operation for mode locking in a Ti:Sapphire laser with enhanced Kerr nonlinearity, where the threshold for pulsed operation is lowered below the threshold for continuous-wave (CW) operation. Even though a CW solution cannot exist in this regime, pulsed oscillation can be realized directly from zero CW oscillation. In this regime, the point of maximum strength of the Kerr nonlinear process provides a "sweet spot" for mode locking, which can be optimized to considerably lower the pump power threshold. The properties of the "sweet spot" are explained with a qualitative model.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Kerr-lens Mode Locking Without Nonlinear Astigmatism

We demonstrate a Kerr-lens mode locked folded cavity using a planar (non-Brewster) Ti:sapphire crystal as a gain and Kerr medium, thus cancelling the nonlinear astigmatism caused by a Brewster cut Kerr medium. Our method uses a novel cavity folding in which the intra-cavity laser beam propagates in two perpendicular planes such that the astigmatism of one mirror is compensated by the other mirror, enabling the introduction of an astigmatic free, planar-cut gain medium. We demonstrate that this configuration is inherently free of nonlinear astigmatism, which in standard cavity folding needs a special power specific compensation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Reconstruction of the environmental correlation function from single emitter photon statistics: a non-Markovian approach

We consider the two-level system approximation of a single emitter driven by a continuous laser pump and simultaneously coupled to the electromagnetic vacuum and to a thermal reservoir beyond the Markovian approximation. We discuss the connection between a rigorous microscopic theory and the phenomenological spectral diffusion approach, used to model the interaction of the emitter with the thermal bath, and obtained analytic expressions relating the thermal correlation function to the single emitter photon statistics.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2012

Two-Photon Correlation of Spontaneously Generated Broadband Four-Waves Mixing

We measure the time-energy correlation of broadband, spontaneously generated four wave mixing (FWM), and demonstrate novel time-frequency coupling effects; specifically, we observe a power-dependent splitting of the correlation in both energy and time. By pumping a photonic crystal fiber with narrowband picosecond pulses we generate FWM in a unique regime, where broadband (>100nm), sidebands are generated that are incoherent, yet time-energy correlated. Although the observed time-energy correlation in FWM is conceptually similar to parametric down conversion, its unique dependence on pump intensity due to self and cross phase modulation effects, yields spectral and temporal structure in the correlations. While these effects are minute compared to the time duration and bandwidth of the FWM sidebands, they are well observed using sum frequency generation as a precise, ultrafast, wide-bandwidth correlation detector.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Detection of high-power two-mode squeezing by sum-frequency generation

We introduce sum-frequency generation (SFG) as an effective physical two-photon detector for high power two-mode squeezed coherent states with arbitrary frequency separation, as produced by parametric oscillators well above the threshold. Using a formalism of "collective modes", we describe both two-mode squeezing and degenerate squeezing on equal footing and derive simple relations between the input degree of squeezing and the measured SFG quadrature noise. We compare the proposed SFG detection to standard homodyne measurement, and show advantages in robustness to detection inefficiency (loss of SFG photons) and acceptance bandwidth.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2008

Piecewise adiabatic population transfer in a molecule via a wave packet

We propose a class of schemes for robust population transfer between quantum states that utilize trains of coherent pulses and represent a generalized adiabatic passage via a wave packet. We study piecewise Stimulated Raman Adiabatic Passage with pulse-to-pulse amplitude variation, and piecewise chirped Raman passage with pulse-to-pulse phase variation, implemented with an optical frequency comb. In the context of production of ultracold ground-state molecules, we show that with almost no knowledge of the excited potential, robust high-efficiency transfer is possible

quant-ph↗