arXiv subjects

D. E. Chang

Publications and source records attributed to D. E. Chang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Optical waveguiding by atomic entanglement in multilevel atom arrays

The optical properties of sub-wavelength arrays of atoms or other quantum emitters have attracted significant interest recently. For example, the strong constructive or destructive interference of emitted light enables arrays to function as nearly perfect mirrors, support topological edge states, and allow for exponentially better quantum memories. In these proposals, the assumed atomic structure was simple, consisting of a unique electronic ground state. Within linear optics, the system is then equivalent to a periodic array of classical dielectric particles, whose periodicity supports the emergence of guided modes. However, it has not been known whether such phenomena persist in the presence of hyperfine structure, as exhibited by most quantum emitters. Here, we show that waveguiding can arise from rich atomic entanglement as a quantum many-body effect, and elucidate the necessary conditions. Our work represents a significant step forward in understanding collective effects in arrays of atoms with realistic electronic structure.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2018

Optimization of photon storage fidelity in ordered atomic arrays

A major application for atomic ensembles consists of a quantum memory for light, in which an optical state can be reversibly converted to a collective atomic excitation on demand. There exists a well-known fundamental bound on the storage error, when the ensemble is describable by a continuous medium governed by the Maxwell-Bloch equations. The validity of this model can break down, however, in systems such as dense, ordered atomic arrays, where strong interference in emission can give rise to phenomena such as subradiance and "selective" radiance. Here, we develop a general formalism that finds the maximum storage efficiency for a collection of atoms with discrete, known positions, and a given spatial mode in which an optical field is sent. As an example, we apply this technique to study a finite two-dimensional square array of atoms. We show that such a system enables a storage error that scales with atom number $N_\mathrm{a}$ like $\sim (\log N_\mathrm{a})^2/N_\mathrm{a}^2$, and that, remarkably, an array of just $4 \times 4$ atoms in principle allows for an efficiency comparable to a disordered ensemble with optical depth of around 600.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Atom-atom interactions around the band edge of a photonic crystal waveguide

Tailoring the interactions between quantum emitters and single photons constitutes one of the cornerstones of quantum optics. Coupling a quantum emitter to the band edge of a photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) provides a unique platform for tuning these interactions. In particular, the crossover from propagating fields $E(x) \propto e^{\pm ik_x x}$ outside the bandgap to localized fields $E(x) \propto e^{-κ_x |x|}$ within the bandgap should be accompanied by a transition from largely dissipative atom-atom interactions to a regime where dispersive atom-atom interactions are dominant. Here, we experimentally observe this transition for the first time by shifting the band edge frequency of the PCW relative to the $\rm D_1$ line of atomic cesium for $\bar{N}=3.0\pm 0.5$ atoms trapped along the PCW. Our results are the initial demonstration of this new paradigm for coherent atom-atom interactions with low dissipation into the guided mode.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Exponential improvement in photon storage fidelities using subradiance and "selective radiance" in atomic arrays

A central goal within quantum optics is to realize efficient interactions between photons and atoms. A fundamental limit in nearly all applications based on such systems arises from spontaneous emission, in which photons are absorbed by atoms and then re-scattered into undesired channels. In typical treatments of atomic ensembles, it is assumed that this re-scattering occurs independently, and at a rate given by a single isolated atom, which in turn gives rise to standard limits of fidelity in applications such as quantum memories or quantum gates. However, this assumption can be violated. In particular, spontaneous emission of a collective atomic excitation can be significantly suppressed through strong interference in emission. Thus far the physics underlying the phenomenon of subradiance and techniques to exploit it have not been well-understood. In this work, we provide a comprehensive treatment of this problem. First, we show that in ordered atomic arrays in free space, subradiant states acquire an interpretation in terms of optical modes that are guided by the array, which only emit due to scattering from the ends of the finite chain. We also elucidate the properties of subradiant states in the many-excitation limit. Finally, we introduce the new concept of selective radiance. Whereas subradiant states experience a reduced coupling to all optical modes, selectively radiant states are tailored to simultaneously radiate efficiently into a desired channel while scattering into undesired channels is suppressed, thus enabling an enhanced atom-light interface. We show that these states naturally appear in chains of atoms coupled to nanophotonic structures, and we analyze the performance of photon storage exploiting such states. We find that selectively radiant states allow for a photon storage error that scales exponentially better with number of atoms than previously known bounds.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2017

Atom-light interactions in quasi-1D nanostructures: a Green's function perspective

Based on a formalism that describes atom-light interactions in terms of the classical electromagnetic Green's function, we study the optical response of atoms and other quantum emitters coupled to one-dimensional photonic structures, such as cavities, waveguides, and photonic crystals. We demonstrate a clear mapping between the transmission spectra and the local Green's function that allows to identify signatures of dispersive and dissipative interactions between atoms. We also demonstrate the applicability of our analysis to problems involving three-level atoms, such as electromagnetically induced transparency. Finally we examine recent experiments, and anticipate future observations of atom-atom interactions in photonic bandgaps.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Quantum many-body models with cold atoms coupled to photonic crystals

Using cold atoms to simulate strongly interacting quantum systems represents an exciting frontier of physics. However, as atoms are nominally neutral point particles, this limits the types of interactions that can be produced. We propose to use the powerful new platform of cold atoms trapped near nanophotonic systems to extend these limits, enabling a novel quantum material in which atomic spin degrees of freedom, motion, and photons strongly couple over long distances. In this system, an atom trapped near a photonic crystal seeds a localized, tunable cavity mode around the atomic position. We find that this effective cavity facilitates interactions with other atoms within the cavity length, in a way that can be made robust against realistic imperfections. Finally, we show that such phenomena should be accessible using one-dimensional photonic crystal waveguides in which coupling to atoms has already been experimentally demonstrated.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2015

Deterministic generation of arbitrary photonic states assisted by dissipation

A scheme to utilize atom-like emitters coupled to nanophotonic waveguides is proposed for the generation of many-body entangled states and for the reversible mapping of these states of matter to photonic states of an optical pulse in the waveguide. Our protocol makes use of decoherence-free subspaces (DFS) for the atomic emitters with coherent evolution within the DFS enforced by strong dissipative coupling to the waveguide. By switching from subradiant to superradiant states, entangled atomic states are mapped to photonic states with high fidelity. An implementation using ultracold atoms coupled to a photonic crystal waveguide is discussed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Single-photon nonlinear optics with graphene plasmons

We show that it is possible to realize significant nonlinear optical interactions at the few photon level in graphene nanostructures. Our approach takes advantage of the electric field enhancement associated with the strong confinement of graphene plasmons and the large intrinsic nonlinearity of graphene. Such a system could provide a powerful platform for quantum nonlinear optical control of light. As an example, we consider an integrated optical device that exploits this large nonlinearity to realize a single photon switch.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Subwavelength vacuum lattices and atom-atom interactions in photonic crystals

We propose the use of photonic crystal structures to design subwavelength optical lattices in two dimensions for ultracold atoms by using both Guided Modes and Casimir-Polder forces. We further show how to use Guided Modes for photon-induced large and strongly long-range interactions between trapped atoms. Finally, we analyze the prospects of this scheme to implement spin models for quantum simulation

quant-ph↗

arXiv2014

Nanoplasmonic Lattices for Ultracold atoms

We propose to use sub-wavelength confinement of light associated with the near field of plasmonic systems to create nanoscale optical lattices for ultracold atoms. Our approach combines the unique coherence properties of isolated atoms with the sub-wavelength manipulation and strong light-matter interaction associated with nano-plasmonic systems. It allows one to considerably increase the energy scales in the realization of Hubbard models and to engineer effective long-range interactions in coherent and dissipative many-body dynamics. Realistic imperfections and potential applications are discussed.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2014

Coupling graphene mechanical resonators to superconducting microwave cavities

Graphene is an attractive material for nanomechanical devices because it allows for exceptional properties, such as high frequencies and quality factors, and low mass. An outstanding challenge, however, has been to obtain large coupling between the motion and external systems for efficient readout and manipulation. Here, we report on a novel approach, in which we capacitively couple a high-Q graphene mechanical resonator ($Q \sim 10^5$) to a superconducting microwave cavity. The initial devices exhibit a large single-photon coupling of $\sim 10$ Hz. Remarkably, we can electrostatically change the graphene equilibrium position and thereby tune the single photon coupling, the mechanical resonance frequency and the sign and magnitude of the observed Duffing nonlinearity. The strong tunability opens up new possibilities, such as the tuning of the optomechanical coupling strength on a time scale faster than the inverse of the cavity linewidth. With realistic improvements, it should be possible to enter the regime of quantum optomechanics.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2013

Atom-Light Interactions in Photonic Crystals

The integration of nanophotonics and atomic physics has been a long-sought goal that would open new frontiers for optical physics. Here, we report the development of the first integrated optical circuit with a photonic crystal capable of both localizing and interfacing atoms with guided photons in the device. By aligning the optical bands of a photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) with selected atomic transitions, our platform provides new opportunities for novel quantum transport and many-body phenomena by way of photon-mediated atomic interactions along the PCW. From reflection spectra measured with average atom number N = 1.1$\pm$0.4, we infer that atoms are localized within the PCW by Casimir-Polder and optical dipole forces. The fraction of single-atom radiative decay into the PCW is $Γ_{\rm 1D}/Γ'$ = 0.32$\pm$0.08, where $Γ_{1D}$ is the rate of emission into the guided mode and $Γ'$ is the decay rate into all other channels. $Γ_{\rm 1D}/Γ'$ is quoted without enhancement due to an external cavity and is unprecedented in all current atom-photon interfaces.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2013

Trapping atoms using nanoscale quantum vacuum forces

Quantum vacuum forces dictate the interaction between individual atoms and dielectric surfaces at nanoscale distances. For example, their large strengths typically overwhelm externally applied forces, which makes it challenging to controllably interface cold atoms with nearby nanophotonic systems. Here, we show that it is possible to tailor the vacuum forces themselves to provide strong trapping potentials. The trapping scheme takes advantage of the attractive ground state potential and adiabatic dressing with an excited state whose potential is engineered to be resonantly enhanced and repulsive. This procedure yields a strong metastable trap, with the fraction of excited state population scaling inversely with the quality factor of the resonance of the dielectric structure. We analyze realistic limitations to the trap lifetime and discuss possible applications that might emerge from the large trap depths and nanoscale confinement.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Nanoplasmonic planar traps - a tool for engineering p-wave interactions

Engineering strong p-wave interactions between fermions is one of the challenges in modern quantum physics. Such interactions are responsible for a plethora of fascinating quantum phenomena such as topological quantum liquids and exotic superconductors. In this letter we propose to combine recent developments of nanoplasmonics with the progress in realizing laser-induced gauge fields. Nanoplasmonics allows for strong confinement leading to a geometric resonance in the atom-atom scattering. In combination with the laser-coupling of the atomic states, this is shown to result in the desired interaction. We illustrate how this scheme can be used for the stabilization of strongly correlated fractional quantum Hall states in ultracold fermionic gases.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2013

Trapped Atoms in One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

We describe one-dimensional photonic crystals that support a guided mode suitable for atom trapping within a unit cell, as well as a second probe mode with strong atom-photon interactions. A new hybrid trap is analyzed that combines optical and Casimir-Polder forces to form stable traps for neutral atoms in dielectric nanostructures. By suitable design of the band structure, the atomic spontaneous emission rate into the probe mode can exceed the rate into all other modes by more than tenfold. The unprecedented single-atom reflectivity $r_0 \gtrsim 0.9$ for the guided probe field should enable diverse investigations of photon-mediated interactions for 1D atom chains and cavity QED.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Self-organization of atoms along a nanophotonic waveguide

Atoms coupled to nanophotonic interfaces represent an exciting frontier for the investigation of quantum light-matter interactions. While most work has considered the interaction between statically positioned atoms and light, here we demonstrate that a wealth of phenomena can arise from the self-consistent interaction between atomic internal states, optical scattering, and atomic forces. We consider in detail the case of atoms coupled to a one-dimensional nanophotonic waveguide, and show that this interplay gives rise to self-organization of atomic positions along the waveguide, which can be probed experimentally through distinct characteristics of the reflection and transmission spectra.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Cavity QED with atomic mirrors

A promising approach to merge atomic systems with scalable photonics has emerged recently, which consists of trapping cold atoms near tapered nanofibers. Here, we describe a novel technique to achieve strong, coherent coupling between a single atom and photon in such a system. Our approach makes use of collective enhancement effects, which allow a lattice of atoms to form a high-finesse cavity within the fiber. We show that a specially designated "impurity" atom within the cavity can experience strongly enhanced interactions with single photons in the fiber. Under realistic conditions, a "strong coupling" regime can be reached, wherein it becomes feasible to observe vacuum Rabi oscillations between the excited impurity atom and a single cavity quantum. This technique can form the basis for a scalable quantum information network using atom-nanofiber systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Enhancement of mechanical Q-factors by optical trapping

The quality factor of a mechanical resonator is an important figure of merit for various sensing applications and for observing quantum behavior. Here, we demonstrate a technique to push the quality factor of a micro-mechanical resonator beyond conventional material and fabrication limits by using an optical field to stiffen or "trap" a particular motional mode. Optical forces increase the oscillation frequency by storing most of the mechanical energy in a lossless optical potential, thereby strongly diluting the effect of material dissipation. By using a 130 nm thick SiO$_2$ disk as a suspended pendulum, we achieve an increase in the pendulum center-of-mass frequency from 6.2 kHz to 145 kHz. The corresponding quality factor increases 50-fold from its intrinsic value to a final value of $Q=5.8(1.1)\times 10^5$, representing more than an order of magnitude improvement over the conventional limits of SiO$_2$ for this geometry. Our technique may enable new opportunities for mechanical sensing and facilitate observations of quantum behavior in this class of mechanical systems.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗