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S. Longhi

Publications and source records attributed to S. Longhi.

33 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
arXiv2010

Dynamic localization and transport in complex crystals

The behavior of a Bloch particle in a complex crystal with PT symmetry subjected to a sinusoidal ac force is theoretically investigated. For unbroken PT symmetry and in the single-band approximation, it is shown that time reversal symmetry of the ac force preserves the reality of the quasienergy spectrum. Like in ordinary crystals, exact band collapse, corresponding to dynamic localization, is attained for a sinusoidal band shape. The wave packet dynamics turns out to be deeply modified at the PT symmetry breaking point, where band merging occurs and Bragg scattering in the crystal becomes highly non-reciprocal.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2010

Bloch oscillations in complex crystals with PT symmetry

Bloch oscillations (BO) in complex lattices with PT symmetry are theoretically investigated with specific reference to optical BO in photonic lattices with gain/loss regions. Novel dynamical phenomena with no counterpart in ordinary lattices, such as non-reciprocal BO related to violation of the Friedel's law of Bragg scattering in complex potentials, are highlighted.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2010

Optical analogue of population trapping in the continuum: classical and quantum interference effects

A quantum theory of light propagation in two optical channel waveguides tunnelling-coupled to a common continuum of modes (such as those of a slab waveguide) is presented, and classical and quantum interference effects are investigated. For classical light, the photonic system realizes an optical analogue of coherent population trapping in the continuum encountered in atomic physics, where destructive interference between different light leakage channels leads to the appearance of a trapped state embedded in the continuum. For nonclassical light, two-photon interference effects are predicted, such as the tendency of photon pairs to bunch when decaying into the continuum.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2010

Discrete diffraction and shape-invariant beams in optical waveguide arrays

General properties of linear propagation of discretized light in homogeneous and curved waveguide arrays are comprehensively investigated and compared to those of paraxial diffraction in continuous media. In particular, general laws describing beam spreading, beam decay and discrete far-field patterns in homogeneous arrays are derived using the method of moments and the steepest descend method. In curved arrays, the method of moments is extended to describe evolution of global beam parameters. A family of beams which propagate in curved arrays maintaining their functional shape -referred to as discrete Bessel beams- is also introduced. Propagation of discrete Bessel beams in waveguide arrays is simply described by the evolution of a complex $q$ parameter similar to the complex $q$ parameter used for Gaussian beams in continuous lensguide media. A few applications of the $q$ parameter formalism are discussed, including beam collimation and polygonal optical Bloch oscillations. \

physics.optics↗
arXiv2010

Spectral singularities and Bragg scattering in complex crystals

Spectral singularities that spoil the completeness of Bloch-Floquet states may occur in non-Hermitian Hamiltonians with complex periodic potentials. Here an equivalence is established between spectral singularities in complex crystals and secularities that arise in Bragg diffraction patterns. Signatures of spectral singularities in a scattering process with wave packets are elucidated for a PT-symmetric complex crystal.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2010

Classical and quantum interference in multiband optical Bloch oscillations

Classical and quantum interference of light propagating in arrays of coupled waveguides and undergoing multiband optical Bloch oscillations (BOs) with negligible Zener tunneling is theoretically investigated. In particular, it is shown that Mach-Zehnder-like interference effects spontaneously arise in multiband BOs owing to beam splitting and subsequent beam recombination occurring in one BO cycle. As a noteworthy example of quantum interference, we discuss the doubling of interference fringes in photon counting rates for a correlated photon pair undergoing two-band BOs, a phenomenon analogous to the manifestation of the de Broglie wavelength of an entangled biphoton state observed in quantum Mach-Zehnder interferometry.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2010

Rectification of light refraction in curved waveguide arrays

An 'optical ratchet' for discretized light in photonic lattices, which enables to observe rectification of light refraction at any input beam conditions, is theoretically presented, and a possible experimental implementation based on periodically-curved zigzag waveguide arrays is proposed.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2010

Polychromatic Optical Bloch Oscillations

Bloch oscillations (BOs) of polychromatic beams in circularly-curved optical waveguide arrays are smeared out owing to the dependence of the BO spatial period on wavelength. Here it is shown that restoring of the self-imaging property of the array and approximate BOs over relatively broad spectral ranges can be achieved by insertion of suitable lumped phase slips uniformly applied across the array.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2009

Photonic analogue of Zitterbewegung in binary waveguide arrays

An optical analogue of Zitterbewegung (ZB), i.e. of the trembling motion of Dirac electrons caused by the interference between positive and negative energy states, is proposed for spatial beam propagation in binary waveguide arrays. In this optical system ZB is simply observable as a quiver spatial oscillatory motion of the beam center of mass around its mean trajectory.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2007

Coherent tunneling by adiabatic passage in an optical waveguide system

We report on the first experimental demonstration of light transfer in an engineered triple-well optical waveguide structure which provides a classic analogue of Coherent Tunnelling by Adiabatic Passage (CTAP) recently proposed for coherent transport in space of neutral atoms or electrons among tunneling-coupled optical traps or quantum wells [A.D. Greentree et al., Phys. Rev. B 70, 235317 (2004); K. Eckert et al., Phys. Rev. A 70, 023606 (2004)]. The direct visualization of CTAP wavepacket dynamics enabled by our simple optical system clearly shows that in the counterintuitive passage scheme light waves tunnel between the two outer wells without appreciable excitation of the middle well.

cond-mat.other↗
arXiv2007

Visualization of Coherent Destruction of Tunneling in an Optical Double Well System

We report on a direct visualization of coherent destruction of tunneling (CDT) of light waves in a double well system which provides an optical analog of quantum CDT as originally proposed by Grossmann, Dittrich, Jung, and Hanggi [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 67}, 516 (1991)]. The driven double well, realized by two periodically-curved waveguides in an Er:Yb-doped glass, is designed so that spatial light propagation exactly mimics the coherent space-time dynamics of matter waves in a driven double-well potential governed by the Schrödinger equation. The fluorescence of Er ions is exploited to image the spatial evolution of light in the two wells, clearly demonstrating suppression of light tunneling for special ratios between frequency and amplitude of the driving field.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2006

Observation of dynamic localization in periodically-curved waveguide arrays

We report on a direct experimental observation of dynamic localization (DL) of light in sinusoidally-curved Lithium-Niobate waveguide arrays which provides the optical analog of DL for electrons in periodic potentials subjected to ac electric fields as originally proposed by Dunlap and Kenkre [D.H. Dunlap and V.M. Kenkre, Phys. Rev. B 34, 3625 (1986)]. The theoretical condition for DL in a sinusoidal field is experimentally demonstrated.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2002

Dispersive properties of quasi-phase-matched optical parametric amplifiers

The dispersive properties of non-degenerate optical parametric amplification in quasi-phase-matched (QPM) nonlinear quadratic crystals with an arbitrary grating profile are theoretically investigated in the no-pump-depletion limit. The spectral group delay curve of the amplifier is shown to be univocally determined by its spectral power gain curve through a Hilbert transform. Such a constraint has important implications on the propagation of spectrally-narrow optical pulses through the amplifier. In particular, it is shown that anomalous transit times, corresponding to superluminal or even negative group velocities, are possible near local minima of the spectral gain curve. A possible experimental observation of such effects using a QPM Lithium-Niobate crystal is suggested.

physics.optics↗
arXiv2002

Measurement of Superluminal optical tunneling times in double-barrier photonic bandgaps

Tunneling of optical pulses at 1.5 micron wavelength through double-barrier periodic fiber Bragg gratings is experimentally investigated. Tunneling time measurements as a function of barrier distance show that, far from the resonances of the structure, the transit time is paradoxically short, implying Superluminal propagation, and almost independent of the distance between the barriers. These results are in agreement with theoretical predictions based on phase time analysis and also provide an experimental evidence, in the optical context, of the analogous phenomenon expected in Quantum Mechanics for non-resonant superluminal tunneling of particles across two successive potential barriers. [Attention is called, in particular, to our last Figure]. PACS nos.: 42.50.Wm, 03.65.Xp, 42.70.Qs, 03.50.De, 03.65.-w, 73.40.Gk

physics.optics↗