Phase-resolved nonlinear response of a two-dimensional electron gas under femtosecond intersubband excitation

Strong electric-field transients resonant to intersubband transitions in n-type modulation-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells induce coherent Rabi oscillations, which are demonstrated by a phase-resolved measurement of the light emitted by the sample. The time evolution of the intersubband polarization is influenced by Coulomb-mediated many-body effects. The subpicosecond period and the phase of the Rabi oscillations are controlled by the properties of the midinfrared driving pulse.     

Control and coherence of the optical transition of single nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond

We demonstrate coherent control of the optical transition of single nitrogen-vacancy defect centers in diamond. On applying short resonant laser pulses, we observe optical Rabi oscillations with a half period as short as 1 ns, an order of magnitude shorter than the spontaneous emission time. By studying the decay of Rabi oscillations, we find that the decoherence is dominated by laser-induced spectral jumps. By using a low-power probe pulse as a detuning sensor and applying postselection, we demonstrate that spectral diffusion can be overcome in this system to generate coherent photons.     

Nonlinear terahertz spectroscopy of semiconductor nanostructures

Nonlinear frequency conversion and electro-optic sampling allow for the generation and phase-resolved characterization of few-cycle pulses in the frequency range up to 50 THz. Electric field transients with amplitudes of up to several MV/cm are applied to study coherent nonlinear excitations of low-dimensional semiconductors. We report the first observation of Rabi oscillations on intersubband transitions of electrons in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells. Frequency and phase of such oscillations are controlled in the 0.3- to 2.5-THz range via the strength and shape of the mid-infrared driving pulse. PACS 78.67.De; 73.21.Fg; 07.57.Hm; 42.65.Re     

Parametric control of a superconducting flux qubit

Parametric control of a superconducting flux qubit has been achieved by using two-frequency microwave pulses. We have observed Rabi oscillations stemming from parametric transitions between the qubit states when the sum of the two microwave frequencies or the difference between them matches the qubit Larmor frequency. We have also observed multiphoton Rabi oscillations corresponding to one- to four-photon resonances by applying single-frequency microwave pulses. The parametric control demonstrated in this work widens the frequency range of microwaves for controlling the qubit and offers a high quality testing ground for exploring nonlinear quantum phenomena of macroscopically distinct states.     

Intersubband transport in quantum wells in strong magnetic fields mediated by single- and two-electron scattering

We show theoretically that in quantum wells subjected to a strong magnetic field the intersubband current peaks at magnetic field values, which reveal the underlying specific intersubband scattering mechanism. We have designed and grown a superlattice structure in which such current oscillations are clearly visible, and in which the transition from the purely single-electron to the mixed single- and two-electron scattering regimes can be observed by tuning the applied voltage bias. The measurements were conducted in ultrahigh magnetic fields (up to 45 T) to obtain the full spectrum of the current oscillations.     

Optical control of excitons in a pair of quantum dots coupled by the dipole-dipole interaction

We demonstrate coherent nonlinear-optical control of excitons in a pair of quantum dots (QDs) coupled via dipolar interaction. The single-exciton population in the first QD is controlled by resonant picosecond excitation, giving rise to Rabi oscillations. As a result, the exciton transition in the second QD is spectrally shifted and concomitant Rabi oscillations are observed. We identify coupling between permanent excitonic dipole moments as the dominant interaction mechanism, whereas quasiresonant (F?rster) energy transfer is weak. Such control schemes based on dipolar interaction are a prerequisite for realizing scalable quantum logic gates.     

Impact of propagation effects on intersubband Rabi flopping in semiconductor quantum wells

We investigate intersubband Rabi flopping in modulation-doped semiconductor quantum wells with and without the propagation effects, respectively. It is shown that propagation effects have a larger impact on Rabi flopping than the nonlinearities rooted from electron-electron interactions in multiple quantum wells. By using ultrashort π pulses, an almost complete population inversion exists if the propagation effects are not considered; while no complete population inversion occurs in the presence of propagation effects. Furthermore, the magnitude of the impact of propagation effects may be controlled by varying the carrier density.     

Ultrafast dynamic control of spin and charge density oscillations in a GaAs quantum well

We use subpicosecond laser pulses to generate and monitor in real time collective oscillations of electrons in a modulation-doped GaAs quantum well. The observed frequencies match those of intersubband spin- and charge-density excitations. Light couples to coherent density fluctuations through resonant stimulated Raman scattering. Because the spin- and charge-related modes obey different selection rules and resonant behavior, the amplitudes of the corresponding oscillations can be independently controlled by using shaped pulses of the proper polarization.     

Rabi-oscillation-enhanced frequency conversion in quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

We investigate the nonlinear light propagation in InAs/InGaAs quantum-dot-in-a-well semiconductor optical amplifiers in the limit of strong optical excitation where Rabi oscillations are excited in the active medium. The amplifier is analyzed in a degenerate four-wave-mixing setup and characterized by its frequency conversion and creation performance. Our simulations show that the interplay between the nonlinear four-wave-mixing process and the coherent Rabi oscillations greatly influences the frequency conversion process. Rabi oscillations can be resonantly excited by the correct choice of the frequency detuning between pump and probe signals, which greatly enhances the nonlinear frequency conversion efficiency at frequencies up to several THz. We furthermore show that the coherent pulse shaping of ultrashort optical pulses in the quantum-dot medium can greatly enhance their spectral bandwidth, potentially allowing for ultra-broad-band frequency comb generation.     

Tunneling spectroscopy of two-level systems inside a Josephson junction

We consider a two-level system (TLS) with energy level separation plankvOmega0 inside a Josephson junction. The junction is shunted by a resistor R and is voltage V biased. If the TLS modulates the Josephson energy and/or is optically active, it is Rabi driven by the Josephson oscillations in the running phase regime near the resonance 2eV=plankvOmega0. The Rabi oscillations, in turn, translate into oscillations of current and voltage that can be detected in noise measurements. This effect provides an option to fully characterize the TLS inside Josephson junction and to find the TLS's contribution to the decoherence when the junction is used as a qubit.     

Rabi oscillations of optical modes in a waveguide with dynamic modulation

We investigate the optical Rabi oscillations in a dual-mode slab waveguide that undergoes a spatial–temporal refractive index modulation. Frequency conversion is induced during Rabi oscillations since dynamic modulation is employed. We also show that the contrast of Rabi oscillations can be controlled by the initial phase of dynamic modulation, which can be tuned arbitrarily from zero to unity as the phase varies. The contrast of zero corresponds to the dynamic supermodes and unity refers to complete Rabi oscillations. It suggests that the phase can be a new degree of freedom to control optical Rabi oscillations. This study may find applications in optical sensors, switches and mode converters.     

Ultra-strong coupling effects with quantum metamaterials

We study a semiconductor-based quantum metamaterial which has the optical characteristics of a metal in two directions, but behaves like a collection of artificial atoms, whose properties can be designed-in using quantum theory, in the third. We find that it supports a type of guided collective plasma resonance (CPR) mode which exhibits efficient optical coupling and long propagation distances. Furthermore, the coupling of the CPR mode with the ‘artificial atom’ transition leads to a case of “Ultra-Strong-Coupling”, demonstrated by a record vacuum Rabi splitting of 65 meV, a sizable fraction (42%), of the bare intersubband energy.     

Unusually kicked dynamics: Hydrogen atom in a spherical box

In this paper we have examined the ionization of the ground state hydrogen atom in a spherical box with laser pulses of specific shapes. These shapes are predicted assuming correspondence under some conditions with the alternating kicking field. Unusually kicked dynamics is suggested. It is shown that such kicked dynamics leads to generalized Rabi oscillations with the positive energy states included and participation of the excited states. The correspondence with the real pulse is established emphasizing such unusually kicked dynamics. The approach is verified on the one-dimensional (1D) hydrogen atom and calculation of the known results for ionization probability.     

Radiative coupling of intersubband transitions in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells

Radiative coupling of resonantly excited intersubband transitions in GaAs/AlGaAs multiple quantum wells can have a strong impact on the coherent nonlinear optical response, as is shown by phase and amplitude resolved propagation studies of ultrashort electric field transients. Upon increasing the driving field amplitude, strong radiative coupling leads to a pronounced self-induced absorption, followed by a bleaching due to the onset of delayed Rabi oscillations. A many-particle theory including light propagation effects accounts fully for the experimental results.     

Quantum vacuum radiation spectra from a semiconductor microcavity with a time-modulated vacuum Rabi frequency

We develop a general theory of the quantum vacuum radiation generated by an arbitrary time modulation of the vacuum Rabi frequency of an intersubband transition in a doped quantum well system embedded in a planar microcavity. Both nonradiative and radiative losses are included within an input-output quantum Langevin framework. The intensity and the spectral signatures of the extra-cavity emission are characterized versus the modulation properties. For realistic parameters, the photon pair emission is predicted to largely exceed the blackbody radiation in the mid and far infrared. For strong and resonant modulation a parametric oscillation regime is achievable.     

Continuous monitoring of Rabi oscillations in a Josephson flux qubit

Under resonant irradiation, a quantum system can undergo coherent (Rabi) oscillations in time. We report evidence for such oscillations in a continuously observed three-Josephson-junction flux qubit, coupled to a high-quality tank circuit tuned to the Rabi frequency. In addition to simplicity, this method of Rabi spectroscopy enabled a long coherence time of about 2.5 micros, corresponding to an effective qubit quality factor approximately 7000.     

Intersubband exciton relaxation dynamics in single-walled carbon nanotubes

We study exciton (EX) dynamics in single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) included in polymethylmethacrylate by two-color pump-probe experiments with unprecedented temporal resolution. In the semiconducting SWNTs, we resolve the intersubband energy relaxation from the EX2 to the EX1 transition and find time constants of about 40 fs. The observation of a photoinduced absorption band strictly correlated to the photobleaching of the EX1 transition supports the excitonic model for primary excitations in SWNTs. We also detect in the time domain coherent oscillations due to the radial breathing modes at approximately 250 cm(-1).     

Dynamics of Two-Level Trapped Ion in a Standing Wave Laser in Noncommutative Space

We study the dynamics of a two-level trapped ion in a standing wave electromagnetic field in two-dimensional （2D） noncommutative spaces in the Lamb-Dicke regime under the rotating wave approximation. We obtain the explicit analytical expressions for the energy spectra, energy eigenstates, unitary time evolution operator, atomic inversion, and phonon number operators. The Rabi oscillations, the collapse, and revivals in the average atomic inversion and the average phonon number are explicitly shown to contain the information of the parameter of the space noncommutativity, which sheds light on proposing new schemes based on the dynamics of trapped ion to test the noncommutativity.     

Enhanced superradiance effect in a system of interacting two-level atoms and crossover from coherent to many-atom multiphoton relaxation regime

We study effects of direct interatomic interaction on cooperative processes in atom-photon dynamics. Using a model of two-level atoms with Ising-type interaction as an example, it is demonstrated that interparticle interaction can promote cooperative radiative relaxation. For small number of atoms this results in inhibition of incoherent spontaneous decay leading to the regime of collective pulse relaxation. Above superradiance threshold increase in delay time and enhancement of superradiance is occurred. In the case of strong interaction (as compared to excitation energy of an atom) transition to the regime of multiphoton relaxation occurs, which we discuss using a simple model of two atoms in a high-Q single mode cavity. It is shown that such transition is accompanied by Rabi oscillations involving many-atom multiphoton states. Dephasing effect of dipole-dipole interaction and solitonic mechanism of relaxation are discussed as well.