arXiv subjects

Marlan O. Scully

Publications and source records attributed to Marlan O. Scully.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2009

Vapor pressure dependence of spectral width of EIT in Lambda-level cesium molecular system

We have studied electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in diatomic cesium molecules in a vapor cell by using tunable diode lasers. We have observed a sub-natural Lambda-resonance in an absorption molecular band at different cesium vapor pressures. The width of the EIT resonance shows a linear dependence on cesium vapor pressure. Narrow Lambda-resonances in molecules can be used as frequency references for femtosecond laser frequency combs.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Excitation dependence of resonance line self-broadening at different atomic densities

We study the dipole-dipole spectral broadening of a resonance line at high atomic densities when the self-broadening dominates. The selective reflection spectrum of a weak probe beam from the interface of the cell window and rubidium vapor are recorded in the presence of a far-detuned pump beam. The excitation due to the pump reduces the self-broadening. We found that the self-broadening reduction dependence on the pump power is atomic density independent. These results provide experimental evidence for the disordered exciton based theory of self-broadening, and can be useful for the description of the interaction of a strong optical field with a dense resonance medium.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Quantum Interferences in Cooperative Dicke Emission from Spatial Variation of Laser Phase

We report generation of a new quantum interference effect in spontaneous emission from a resonantly driven system of two identical two-level atoms due to the spatial variation of the laser phase at the positions of the atoms. This interference affects significantly the spectral features of the emitted radiation and the quantum entanglement in the system. The interference leads to dynamic coupling of the populations and coherences in a basis, determined by the laser phase and represents a kind of vacuum mediated super-exchange between the symmetric and antisymmetric states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Dynamical evolution of correlated spontaneous emission of a single photon from a uniformly excited cloud of N atoms

We study the correlated spontaneous emission from a dense spherical cloud of N atoms uniformly excited by absorption of a single photon. We find that the decay of such a state depends on the relation between an effective Rabi frequency Omega, which is proportional to sqrt{N}, and the time of photon flight through the cloud R/c. If Omega*R/c < 1 the state exponentially decays with rate Omega^{2}*R/c and the state life time is greater then R/c. In the opposite limit Omega*R/c >> 1, the coupled atom-radiation system oscillates between the collective Dicke state (with no-photons) and the atomic ground state (with one photon) with frequency Omega while decaying at a rate c/R.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2008

Atomic noise spectra in nonlinear magneto-optical rotation in a rubidium vapor

We have studied the noise spectra in a nonlinear magneto-optical rotation experiment in a rubidium vapor. We observed the reduction of noise in the intensity difference of two orthogonally polarized components of the laser beam. The dependence of the noise level on both the frequency and the longitudinal magnetic field has been studied. We found that the optimal condition for the noise reduction is to work around zero longitudinal magnetic field, where the intensity correlation between the two orthogonally polarized components is maximum. Our results can be used to reduce or eliminate the atomic excess noise, therefore improving the sensitivity of nonlinear magneto-optical rotation magnetometers and other atom-optical based applications.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Intensity correlations in resonance nonlinear magneto-optical rotation

We have studied the intensity correlations between two orthogonally linearly polarized components of a laser field propagating through a resonant atomic medium. These experiments have been performed in a Rubidium atomic vapor. We observe that the correlations between the orthogonally polarized components of the laser beam are maximal in the absence of a magnetic field. The magnitude of the correlations depends on the applied magnetic field, and the magnitude first decreases and then increases with increasing magnetic field. Minimal correlations and maximal rotation angles are observed at the same magnetic fields. The width of the correlation function is directly proportional to the excited state lifetime and inversely proportional to the Rabi frequency of laser field. These results can be useful for improving optical magnetometers and for optical field or atomic spin squeezing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2008

Optical imaging beyond the diffraction limit via dark states

We study the possibility of creating spatial patterns having subwavelength size by using the so-called dark states formed by the interaction between atoms and optical fields. These optical fields have a specified spatial distribution. Our experiments in Rb vapor display spatial patterns that are smaller than the length determined by the diffraction limit of the optical system used in the experiment. This approach may have applications to interference lithography and might be used in coherent Raman spectroscopy to create patterns with subwavelength spatial resolution.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2007

Planck, Photon Statistics, and Bose-Einstein Condensation

The interplay between optical and statistical physics is a rich and exciting field of study. Black body radiation was the first application of photon statistics, although it was initially treated as a problem of the cavity oscillators in equilibrium with the photon field. However Planck surprisingly resisted the idea that anything physical would be quantized for a long time after he had solved the problem. We trace this development. Then, after the invention of the laser itself, it proved difficult to develop a theory of laser action that could account for photon statistics, i.e. fluctuations near threshold. This was accomplished in 1965. After Bose-Einstein condensation was successfully achieved, the same problem arose in this case. The fluctuation problem had not been treated adequately even for the ideal Bose gas. However this problem has now been solved using the same techniques as in the theory of laser action.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2007

Ultra-dispersive adaptive prism

We have experimentally demonstrated an ultra-dispersive optical prism made from coherently driven Rb atomic vapor. The prism possesses spectral angular dispersion that is six orders of magnitude higher than that of a prism made of optical glass; it is the highest spectral angular dispersion that has ever been shown (such angular dispersion allows one to spatially resolve light beams with different frequencies separated by a few kHz). The prism operates near the resonant frequency of atomic vapor and its dispersion is optically controlled by a coherent driving field.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2006

Condensation of N interacting bosons: Hybrid approach to condensate fluctuations

We present a new method of calculating the distribution function and fluctuations for a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of N interacting atoms. The present formulation combines our previous master equation and canonical ensemble quasiparticle techniques. It is applicable both for ideal and interacting Bogoliubov BEC and yields remarkable accuracy at all temperatures. For the interacting gas of 200 bosons in a box we plot the temperature dependence of the first four central moments of the condensate particle number and compare the results with the ideal gas. For the interacting mesoscopic BEC, as with the ideal gas, we find a smooth transition for the condensate particle number as we pass through the critical temperature.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2006

Condensation of N bosons IV: A simplified Bogoliubov master equation analysis of fluctuations in an interacting Bose gas

A nonequilibrium master equation analysis for N interacting bosons, with Bogoliubov quasiparticles as the reservoir is presented. The analysis is based on a simplified Hamiltonian. The steady state solution yields the equilibrium density matrix. The results are in good agreement with and extend our previous rigorous canonical ensemble equilibrium statistical treatment leading to a quantum theory of the atom laser.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2006

Electromagnetically induced coherent backscattering

We demonstrate a strong coherent backward wave oscillation using forward propagating fields only. This is achieved by applying laser fields to an ultra-dispersive medium with proper chosen detunings to excite a molecular vibrational coherence that corresponds to a backward propagating wave. The physics then has much in common with propagation of ultra-slow light. Applications to coherent scattering and remote sensing are discussed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2006

Fluctuations in Ideal and Interacting Bose-Einstein Condensates: From the laser phase transition analogy to squeezed states and Bogoliubov quasiparticles

We review the phenomenon of equilibrium fluctuations in the number of condensed atoms in a trap containing N atoms total. We start with a history of the Bose-Einstein distribution, the Einstein-Uhlenbeck debate concerning the rounding of the mean number of condensed atoms near a critical temperature, and a discussion of the relations between statistics of BEC fluctuations in the grand canonical, canonical, and microcanonical ensembles. Next we discuss different approaches capable of providing approximate analytical results and physical insight into the problem of fluctuations. In particular, we describe the master equation (similar to the quantum theory of the laser) and canonical-ensemble quasiparticle approaches which give the most accurate and physically transparent picture of the BEC fluctuations. In the last part we describe condensate fluctuations in the interacting Bose gas. In particular, we show that the canonical-ensemble quasiparticle approach works very well for the interacting gases and yields analytical formulas for the characteristic function and all moments of the condensate fluctuations. In most cases the ground-state occupation fluctuations are anomalously large and are not Gaussian even in the thermodynamic limit. We clarify a crossover between the ideal and weakly-interacting-gas statistics which is governed by a pair-correlation squeezing mechanism.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2006

Model of molecular bonding based on the Bohr-Sommerfeld picture of atoms

We develop a model of molecular binding based on the Bohr-Sommerfeld description of atoms together with a constraint taken from conventional quantum mechanics. The model can describe the binding energy curves of H2, H3 and other molecules with striking accuracy. Our approach treats electrons as point particles with positions determined by extrema of an algebraic energy function. Our constrained model provides a physically appealing, accurate description of multi-electron chemical bonds.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2006

Generation of coherent terahertz pulses in Ruby at room temperature

We have shown that a coherently driven solid state medium can potentially produce strong controllable short pulses of THz radiation. The high efficiency of the technique is based on excitation of maximal THz coherence by applying resonant optical pulses to the medium. The excited coherence in the medium is connected to macroscopic polarization coupled to THz radiation. We have performed detailed simulations by solving the coupled density matrix and Maxwell equations. By using a simple $V$-type energy scheme for ruby, we have demonstrated that the energy of generated THz pulses ranges from hundreds of pico-Joules to nano-Joules at room temperature and micro-Joules at liquid helium temperature, with pulse durations from picoseconds to tens of nanoseconds. We have also suggested a coherent ruby source that lases on two optical wavelengths and simultaneously generates THz radiation. We discussed also possibilities of extension of the technique to different solid-state materials.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2006

Spectral Narrowing via Quantum Coherence

We have studied the transmission of an optically thick Rb vapor that is illuminated by monochromatic and noise broaden laser fields in Lambda configuration. The spectral width of the beat signal between the two fields after transmission through the atomic medium is more than 1000 times narrower than the spectral width of this signal before the medium.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2006

Measurement of the separation between atoms beyond diffraction limit

Precision measurement of small separations between two atoms or molecules has been of interest since the early days of science. Here, we discuss a scheme which yields spatial information on a system of two identical atoms placed in a standing wave laser field. The information is extracted from the collective resonance fluorescence spectrum, relying entirely on far-field imaging techniques. Both the interatomic separation and the positions of the two particles can be measured with fractional-wavelength precision over a wide range of distances from bout lambda/550 to lambda/2.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2006

Intensity correlation and anticorrelations in coherently prepared atomic vapor

Motivated by the recent experiment [V.A. Sautenkov, Yu.V. Rostovtsev, and M.O. Scully, Phys. Rev. A 72, 065801 (2005)], we develop a theoretical model in which the field intensity fluctuations resulted from resonant interaction of a dense atomic medium with laser field having finite bandwidth. The intensity-intensity cross correlation between two circular polarized beams can be controlled by the applied external magnetic field. A smooth transition from perfect correlations to anti-correlations (at zero delay time) of the outgoing beams as a function of the magnetic field strength is observed. It provides us with the desired information about decoherence rate in, for example, $^{87}$Rb atomic vapor.

quant-ph↗