arXiv subjects

Thorsten Peters

Publications and source records attributed to Thorsten Peters.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Motion-induced directionality of collective emission in a non-chiral waveguide

We report the experimental observation of motion-induced directionality in collective atomic emission within a hollow-core waveguide, establishing a general principle: directional interactions can emerge from collective phase engineering alone. Remarkably, neither single-emitter asymmetry nor any asymmetry in the geometric arrangement of the system is required - both the atom-field coupling and the spontaneous emission are fully isotropic in our system. Instead, Raman-induced effective two-level emitters with spatially oscillating transition dipole phases and atomic motion give rise to controllable directionality, reaching values up to 0.89(1). We study the correlations of the superfluorescent bursts close to and well above the threshold to collective emission; we find thermal statistics below and a buildup of coherence above it. Numerical simulations based on the Truncated Wigner Approximation for spins yield good agreement. Additionally we present a simple model based on position uncertainty capable of reproducing the observed directionality. Our results open a new route to directional interactions in non-chiral systems, with direct implications for the design of directional metamaterials and photonic structures built from isotropic constituents.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Frequency conversion in a hydrogen-filled hollow-core fiber using continuous-wave fields

In large-area quantum networks based on optical fibers, photons are the fundamental carriers of information as so-called flying qubits. They may also serve as the interconnect between different components of a hybrid architecture, which might comprise atomic and solid state platforms operating at visible or near-infrared wavelengths, as well as optical links in the telecom band. Quantum frequency conversion is the pathway to change the color of a single photon while preserving its quantum state. Currently, nonlinear crystals are utilized for this process. However, their performance is limited by their acceptance bandwidth, tunability, polarization sensitivity, as well as undesired background emission. A promising alternative is based on stimulated Raman scattering in gases. Here, we demonstrate polarization-preserving frequency conversion in a hydrogen-filled anti-resonant hollow-core fiber. This approach holds promises for seamless integration into optical fiber networks and interfaces to single emitters. Disparate from related experiments that employ a pulsed pump field, we here take advantage of two coherent continuous-wave pump fields.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

$N$ Scaling of Large-Sample Collective Decay in Inhomogeneous Ensembles

We experimentally study collective decay of an extended disordered ensemble of $N$ atoms inside a hollow-core fiber. We observe up to $300$-fold enhanced decay rates, strong optical bursts and a coherent ringing. Due to inhomogeneities limiting the synchronization of atoms, the data does not show the typical scaling with $N$. We show that an effective number of collective emitters can be determined to recover the $N$ scaling known to homogeneous ensembles over a large parameter range. This provides physical insight into the limits of collective decay and allows for its optimization in extended ensembles as used, e.g., in quantum optics, precision time-keeping or waveguide QED.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Ultrabright and narrowband intra-fiber biphoton source at ultralow pump power

Nonclassical photon sources of high brightness are key components of quantum communication technologies. We here demonstrate the generation of narrowband, nonclassical photon pairs by employing spontaneous four-wave mixing in an optically-dense ensemble of cold atoms within a hollow-core fiber. The brightness of our source approaches the limit of achievable generated spectral brightness at which successive photon pairs start to overlap in time. For a generated spectral brightness per pump power of up to $2\times 10^{9} \ \textrm{pairs/(s MHz mW)}$ we observe nonclassical correlations at pump powers below $100 \textrm{nW}$ and a narrow bandwidth of $2\pi\times 6.5 \ \textrm{MHz}$. In this regime we demonstrate that our source can be used as a heralded single-photon source. By further increasing the brightness we enter the regime where successive photon pairs start to overlap in time and the cross-correlation approaches a limit corresponding to thermal statistics. Our approach of combining the advantages of atomic ensembles and waveguide environments is an important step towards photonic quantum networks of ensemble based elements.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Loading and spatially-resolved characterization of a cold atomic ensemble inside a hollow-core fiber

We present a thorough experimental investigation of the loading process of laser-cooled atoms from a magneto-optical trap into an optical dipole trap located inside a hollow-core photonic bandgap fiber, followed by propagation of the atoms therein. This, e.g., serves to identify limits to the loading efficiency and thus optical depth which is a key parameter for applications in quantum information technology. Although only limited access in 1D is available to probe atoms inside such a fiber, we demonstrate that a detailed spatially-resolved characterization of the loading and trapping process along the fiber axis is possible by appropriate modification of probing techniques combined with theoretical analysis. Specifically, we demonstrate the loading of up to $2.1 \times 10^5$ atoms with a transfer efficiency of 2.1 % during the course of 50 ms and a peak loading rate of $4.7 \times 10^3$ atoms ms$^{-1}$ resulting in a peak atomic number density on the order of $10^{12}$ cm$^{-3}$. Furthermore, we determine the evolution of the spatial density (profile) and ensemble temperature as it approaches its steady-state value of $T=1400$ $\mu$K, as well as loss rates, axial velocity and acceleration. The spatial resolution along the fiber axis reaches a few millimeters, which is much smaller than the typical fiber length in experiments. We compare our results to other fiber-based as well as free-space optical dipole traps and discuss the potential for further improvements.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Stopped and stationary light at the single-photon level inside a hollow-core fiber

An experimental platform operating at the level of individual quanta and providing strong light-matter coupling is a key requirement for quantum information processing. We report on narrowband light storage and retrieval as well as stationary light, based on electromagnetically induced transparency, for weak coherent light pulses down to the single-photon level with a signal-to-noise ratio of 59. The experiments were carried out with laser-cooled atoms loaded into a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber to provide strong light-matter coupling, thereby demonstrating the prospects for future quantum networks of such a platform.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2019

Optimal pulse propagation in an inhomogeneously gas-filled hollow-core fiber

We study optical pulse propagation through a hollow-core fiber filled with a radially inhomogeneous cloud of cold atoms. A co-propagating control field establishes electromagnetically induced transparency. In analogy to a graded index fiber, the pulse experiences micro-lensing and the transmission spectrum becomes distorted. Based on a two-layer model of the complex index of refraction, we can analytically understand the cause of the aberration, which is corroborated by numerical simulations for a radial Gaussian-shaped function. With these insights, we show that the spectral distortions can be rectified by choosing an optimal detuning from one-photon resonance.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2016

Stationary light pulses and narrowband light storage in a laser-cooled ensemble loaded into a hollow-core fiber

We report on the first observation of stationary light pulses and narrowband light storage inside a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. Laser-cooled atoms were first loaded into the fiber core providing strong light-matter coupling. Light pulses were then stored in a collective atomic excitation using a single control laser beam. By applying a second counterpropagating control beam, a light pulse could be brought to a standstill. Our work paves the way towards the creation of strongly-correlated many-body systems with photons and applications in the field of quantum information processing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

A one-dimensional ultracold medium of extreme optical depth

We report on the preparation of a one-dimensional ultracold medium in a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber, reaching an effective optical depth of 1000(150). We achieved this extreme optical depth by transferring atoms from a magneto-optical trap into a far-detuned optical dipole trap inside the hollow-core fiber, yielding up to 2.5(3)$\times$10$^5$ atoms inside the core with a loading efficiency of $2.5(6)~\%$. The preparation of an ultracold medium of such huge optical depth paves the way towards new applications in quantum optics and nonlinear optics.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2012

Variable Ultra-broadband and Narrowband Composite Polarization Retarders

We propose and experimentally demonstrate novel types of composite sequences of half-wave and quarter-wave polarization retarders, either permitting operation at ultra-broad spectral bandwidth or narrow bandwidth. The retarders are composed of stacked standard half-wave retarders and quarter-wave retarders of equal thickness. To our knowledge, these home-built devices outperform all commercially available compound retarders, made of several birefringent materials.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2008

HICS: Highly charged ion collisions with surfaces

The layout of a new instrument designed to study the interaction of highly charged ions with surfaces, which consists of an ion source, a beamline including charge separation and a target chamber, is presented here. By varying the charge state and impact velocity of the projectiles separately, the dissipation of potential and kinetic energy at or below the surface can be studied independently. The target chamber offers the use of tunable metal-insulator-metal devices as detectors for internal electronic excitation, a timeof-flight system to study the impact induced particle emission and the possibility to transfer samples in situ to a UHV scanning probe microscope. Samples and detectors can be prepared in situ as well. As a first example data on graphene layers on SrTiO3 which have been irradiated with Xe36+ are presented. Key words: highly charged ions, sputtering, AFM, graphene

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2008

Stationary Light Pulses without Bragg Gratings

The underlying mechanism of the stationary light pulse (SLP) was identified as a band gap being created by a Bragg grating formed by two counter-propagating coupling fields of similar wavelength. Here we present a more general view of the formation of SLPs, namely several balanced four-wave mixing processes sharing the same ground-state coherence. Utilizing this new concept we report the first experimental observation of a bichromatic SLP at wavelengths for which no Bragg grating can be established. We also demonstrate the production of a SLP directly from a propagating light pulse without prior storage. Being easily controlled externally makes SLPs a very versatile tool for low-light-level nonlinear optics and quantum information manipulation.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2007

Hot electrons induced by (rather) cold ions

Thin film metal-insulator-metal junctions are used in a novel approach to investigate the dissipation of potential energy of multiply charged ions impinging on a polycrystalline metal surface. The ion-metal interaction leads to excited electrons and holes within the top layer. A substantial fraction of these charge carriers is transported inwards and can be measured as an internal current in the thin film tunnel junction. In Ag-AlOX-Al junctions, yields of typically 0.1-1 electrons per impinging ion are detected in the bottom Al layer. The separate effects of potential and kinetic energy on the tunneling yield are investigated by varying the charges state of the Ar projectile ions from 2+ to 9+ for kinetic energies in the range from 1 to 12 keV. The tunneling yield is found to scale linearly with the potential energy of the projectile.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2007

Creation of multiple nanodots by single ions

In the challenging search for tools that are able to modify surfaces on the nanometer scale, heavy ions with energies of several 10 MeV are becoming more and more attractive. In contrast to slow ions where nuclear stopping is important and the energy is dissipated into a large volume in the crystal, in the high energy regime the stopping is due to electronic excitations only. Because of the extremely local (< 1 nm) energy deposition with densities of up to 10E19 W/cm^2, nanoscaled hillocks can be created under normal incidence. Usually, each nanodot is due to the impact of a single ion and the dots are randomly distributed. We demonstrate that multiple periodically spaced dots separated by a few 10 nanometers can be created by a single ion if the sample is irradiated under grazing angles of incidence. By varying this angle the number of dots can be controlled.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗