Generalized Two-State Theory for an Atom Laser with Nonlinear Couplings

We present a generalized two-state theory to investigate the quantum dynamics and statistics of an atom laser with nonlinear couplings. The rotating wave approximate Hamiltonian of the system is proved to be analytically solvable. The fraction of output atoms is then showed to exhibit an interesting collapse and revival phenomenon with respect to the evolution time, a sign of nonlinear couplings. Several nonclassical effects, such as sub-Poissonian distribution, quadrature squeezing effects, second-order cross-correlation and accompanied violation of Cauchy-Schwartz inequality are also revealed for the output matter wave. The initial global phase of the trapped condensate, in weak nonlinear coupling limits, is found to exert an interesting impact on the quantum statistical properties of the propagating atom laser beam.     

Soliton Atom Laser with Quantum State Transfer Property

We study the nonlinear effects in the quantum states transfer technique from photons to matter waves in the three-level case, which may provide the formation of a soliton atom laser with nonclassical atoms. The validity of quantum transfer mechanism is confirmed in the presence of the intrinsic nonlinear atomic interactions. The accompanied frequency chirp effect is shown to have no influence on the grey solitons formed by the output atom laser and the possible quantum depletion effect is also briefly discussed.     

Nonclassical effect in the MIT output coupler for the Bose–Einstein condensate

A quantum dynamical theory for output coupler of the trapped Bose–Einstein condensate is presented under no rotating wave approximation (RWA) based on the MIT experiment (Phys. Rev. Lett. 78 (1997) 582) for the atom laser. We show that the nonclassical properties, such as sub-Poisson distribution and quadrature squeezing effect, can exist in the outcoupled atomic pulse as time evolves, which indicates an interesting optical control on quantum statistics of the atom laser through varying the strength of the input light.     

QUANTUM STATISTICS OF AN ATOM LASER IN THE PRESENCE OF A STRONG INPUT LIGHT

Within the framework of quantum dynamical theory, we present a new method to control the quantum statistics of an atom laser by applying a powerful input light. Differing from the case in the rotating wave approximation, the non-classical properties can appear in the output atom laser beam with the evolution of time. By choosing a suitable phase of the input light, it is capable of realizing a steady and brighter output of coherent atom laser.     

Nonlinear Effects in Quantum Dynamics of Atom Laser: Mean-Field Approach

Quantum dynamics and statistics of an atom laser with nonlinear binary interactions are investigated in the framework of mean-field approximation. The linearized effective Hamiltonian of the system is accurately solvable. It is shown that, although the input radio frequency field is in an ordinary Glauber coherent state, the output matter wave will periodically exhibit quadrature squeezing effects purely originated from the nonlinear atom-atom collisions.     

非旋波近似下Λ型三能级原子与相干态光场的量子纠缠

在非旋波近似下,利用相干态正交化展开方法,对相干态光场与Λ型三能级原子相互作用的量子场熵进行了精确求解.利用量子熵理论讨论了耦合强度、平均光子数以及初始时刻原子处于不同的能级对量子纠缠的影响.数值计算的结果表明：当初始时刻原子处于激发态时,量子纠缠在较短的时间内就能演化到最大值,随着平均光子数的增大,纠缠演化的周期性逐渐明显|原子初始时刻处于三个能级的叠加态会使初始阶段量子纠缠显著降低|与旋波近似下的结果不同的是,随着耦合强度以及平均光子数的增加,非旋波项的贡献显著增强,使得量子纠缠演化曲线出现小锯齿状的振荡.     

Detecting a single atom in a cavity using the χ(2) nonlinear medium

We propose a protocol for detecting a single atom in a cavity with the help of the χ⁽²⁾ nonlinear medium. When the χ⁽²⁾ nonlinear medium is driven by an external laser field, the cavity mode will be squeezed, and thus one can obtain an exponentially enhanced light-matter coupling. Such a strong coupling between the atom and the cavity field can significantly change the output photon flux, the quantum fluctuations, the quantum statistical property, and the photon number distributions of the cavity field. This provides practical strategies to determine the presence or absence of an atom in a cavity. The proposed protocol exhibits some advantages, such as controllable squeezing strength and exponential increase of atom-cavity coupling strength, which make the experimental phenomenon more obvious. We hope that this protocol can supplement the existing intracavity single-atom detection protocols and provide a promise for quantum sensing in different quantum systems.     

光和原子关联与量子计量

物理量的测量与单位标准的统一推动了计量学的发展.量子力学的建立,激光技术的发明以及原子与分子物理学的发展,在原理与技术上进一步刷新了计量学的研究内涵,特别是激光干涉与原子频标技术的发展,引起了计量学革命性的飞跃.基于激光干涉的引力波测量、激光陀螺仪,基于原子干涉的原子钟、原子陀螺仪等精密测量技术相继诞生,一个以量子物理为基础,探索与开拓物理量精密测量方法与技术的新的科学分支——量子计量学(Quantum Metrology)已然兴起.干涉是计量学中最常用的相位测量方法.量子干涉技术,其相位测量精度能够突破标准量子极限的限制,是量子计量学与量子测量技术的核心研究内容.本文重点介绍近几年我们在量子干涉方面所取得的新开拓与新发展,主要内容包括基于原子系综中四波混频过程的SU(1,1)型光量子关联干涉仪和基于原子系综中拉曼散射过程的光-原子混合干涉仪.     

Study of “forbidden” atomic transitions on D2 line using Rb nano-cell placed in external magnetic field

In this paper the treatment of a three-level atom which is confined in a Fabry-Perot optical cavity with a nonlinear mirror is investigated. Despite the nonlinear effects we show that this system operates in two different regimes. In one regime the system shows conventional laser properties which is approximated by a semiclassical laser theory and in the other one the system displays new quantum properties which is approximated by an effective two-level atom. For validity of the behavior of the system in two different regimes computer simulations are implemented.     

冷原子穿越激光束的量子隧穿时间

原子通过激光冷却技术能够被制备在低温状态，这时冷原子云会展现出量子力学的波动性.研究了一束冷原子入射到一个蓝失谐的激光束上所表现出的量子力学隧穿效应.蓝失谐的激光束相对于冷原子而言等效于一个量子力学势垒.根据二能级模型，在理论上分析了具有内部结构的原子矢量物质波穿过激光束的量子力学反射与透射，特别是对原子穿越激光束所需的时间——量子隧穿时间进行了详细的研究.量子力学波动性使得冷原子穿越一个激光束时明显地展现出与经典粒子(热原子)不同的结果. 关键词： 冷原子 原子光学 量子隧穿     

激光输出功率随耦合率及放大率的变化规律

建立了涵盖稳定腔和非稳腔的激光有源理论模型和激光开式谐振腔的边界条件。根据定态薛定谔方程与亥姆霍兹方程的等价性,采用量子力学方法求解谐振腔的亥姆霍兹波动方程,得到满足方程、边界条件、矩阵光学、稳定条件的本征解和本征方程。根据本征方程推导出横模数目随耦合率变化的规律,进而推导出激光输出功率随耦合率变化公式,以及激光输出功率随放大率的变化规律。该理论模型能够从稳定腔自然过渡到非稳腔,在小耦合率情况下退化到与传统公式基本一致的形式,又能在大耦合率情形下与实验结果符合得很好。     

Efficient generation of a continuous-wave,tunable 780 nm laser via an optimized cavity-enhanced frequency doubling of 1.56 µm at low pump powers

We present the strict design parameters of the experiment for the 780 nm tunable continuous-wave second harmonic (SH) generation by the nonlinear resonator containing a MgO doped periodically poled LiNbO₃ (MgO:PPLN) crystal. Optimization of such critical parameters, including focusing and impedance matching, more than 84% SH conversion efficiency and 3.1 W available output power at 780 nm were obtained from the fundamental wave at 1560 nm with two different input couplers. The thermal saturated behavior of the SH output power has been observed in the experiment. The beam quality factor M² of the generated SH wave is 1.04 (1.03), and the RMS power stability is 1.29% in 3 h. The SH wave was further used to detect the D ₂ transitions of Rb atom, exhibiting a fine tunable characteristic. Such laser source can be a suitable candidate in the atomic physics and quantum optics.     

Effect of irreversible atomic relaxation on resonance fluorescence,absorption, and stimulated emission

Even for a single isolated constituent of matter, a recent generalization of quantum mechanics, called quantum thermodynamics, postulates the existence of new nonmechanical individual states, not contemplated within conventional quantum mechanics, for which the time evolution is governed by a novel nonlinear equation of motion, which entails an irreversible, energy-preserving internal redistribution mechanism of relaxation towards stable equilibrium. For a single two-level atom interacting with the quantum electromagnetic field, we show that such irreversible internal redistribution mechanism entails interesting corrections to the conventional quantum electrodynamic predictions on absorption, resonance fluorescence, and stimulated emission. For a two-level atom driven near resonance by a nearly monochromatic laser beam, we estimate the corrections implied on the spectral distribution of resonance fluorescence and on the absorption and stimulated emission line shape. We submit that our predictions call for further high-resolution studies of atom-field interactions. For example, the value or a lower bound to the value of the only unknown constant of the theory, namely, the internal redistribution time constant, can only be established by a quantitative experimental study.     

The Kapitza-Dirac effect

The development of laser cooling has an important impact on many aspects of atomic physics and quantum optics. The efforts to understand the various types of force exerted on atoms by laser light have led to some interesting physics and it is now possible for extremely cold clouds of atoms to be produced, which can be confined in atom traps or formed into very monoenergetic atomic beams.

There are many new possibilities to explore in this ultra-cold regime where quantum effects are significant, in addition to the potential for great improvements in precision measurements made by r.f. and laser spectroscopy.     

Nonlinear Effects in Quantum Dynamics of Atom Laser: Mean-Field Approach

Quantum dynamics and statistics of an atom laser with nonlinear binary interactions are investigated inthe framework of mean-field approximation. The linearized effective Hamiltonian of the system is accurately solvable.It is shown that, although the input radio frequency field is in an ordinary Glauber coherent state, the output matterwave will periodically exhibit quadrature squeezing effects purely originated from the nonlinear atom-atom collisions.     

非线性增光子热态的非经典特性

本文从描述驻波激光场与囚禁离子相互作用的非线性Jaynes-Cummings模型出发,引入一种新的量子态,即非线性增光子热态.采用理论分析和数值计算相结合的方法,研究了Lamb-Dicke参数,温度和激光场的初相位等参数对这种量子态的非经典效应的影响.结果表明:非线性增光子热态的Mandel Q因子随温度的变化存在一个极小值.Lamb-Dicke参数越大,非线性增光子热态的非经典效应就越强.此外驻波场的初相位也对该态的非经典效应有明显的影响.     

Use of the application of heterodyne laser interferometer in power ultrasonics

We are particularly interested in the measurement of nonlinear acoustic waves in air, within the range of the Raman-Nath diffraction regime. We used a heterodyne laser interferometric system with a Bragg cell frequency of 80 MHz. A harmonic power acoustic wave with a frequency in the range of 20 kHz was generated, but higher harmonics appear when nonlinear propagation occurs in restricted volumes or waveguides. This topic raises a number of interesting questions. The most complex problem arises when processing an extremely wide-band output signal from a photo-detector, where the signal contains a huge number of high amplitude harmonics in a measured acoustic signal. The wide-band output signal from nonlinear wave measurement was simulated by means of similar wide-band output signals obtained by measuring known dynamic mechanical displacements. Because the frequency band of common analog circuits used for signal processing is too narrow, the output signal from the interferometer was digitalized and processed. This paper discusses the results of these tests and provides estimates of the frequency restrictions of signal processing.     

原子激光器与非线性原子光学：现代原子物理学的新进展

介绍了当前原子物理实验研究的两项最新突破：准连续全方位可调谐原子激射器（又称原子激射器）以及世界第一个非线性原子光学实验。前者在实现高亮度、高相干性原子激射器的研究方面迈出了极其重要的一步,后者则首次证明了物质波的多波混频效应,从而开辟了一个崭新的研究领域。     

A stochastic posterior Schrödinger equation for counting nondemolition measurement

A stochastic model of the continuous counting nondemolition measurement of photons emitted by an excited atom in a quantum electromagnetic field is given. It is proved that the posterior dynamics of such an atom is described by a new nonlinear stochastic wave equation showing the relaxation of the atom to its ground state due to the photon emission.     

Light diffraction by a strong standing electromagnetic wave

The nonlinear quantum interaction of a linearly polarized x-ray probe beam with a focused intense standing laser wave is studied theoretically. Because of the tight focusing of the standing laser pulse, diffraction effects arise for the probe beam as opposed to the corresponding plane wave scenario. A quantitative estimate for realistic experimental conditions of the ellipticity and the rotation of the main polarization plane acquired by the x-ray probe after the interaction shows that the implementation of such vacuum effects is feasible with future X-ray Free Electron Laser light.