Quantum frequency up-conversion with a cavity

The quantum state transfer from subharmonic frequency to harmonic frequency based on asymmetrically pumped second harmonic generation in a cavity is investigated theoretically.The performance of noise-free frequency up-conversion is evaluated by the signal transfer coefficient and the conversion efficiency,in which both the quadrature fluctuation and the average photon number are taken into consideration.It is shown that the quantum property can be preserved during frequency up-conversion via operating the cavity far below the threshold.The dependences of the transfer coefficient and the conversion efficiency on pump parameter,analysing frequency,and cavity extra loss are also discussed.     

Erasing distinguishability using quantum frequency up-conversion

The frequency distinguishability of two single photons was successfully erased using single photon frequency up-conversion. A frequency nondegenerate photon pair generated via spontaneous four-wave mixing in a dispersion shifted fiber was used to emulate two telecom-band single photons that were in the same temporal mode but in different frequency modes. The frequencies of these photons were converted to the same frequency by using the sum-frequency generation process in periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides, while maintaining their temporal indistinguishability. As a result, the two converted photons exhibited a nonclassical dip in a Hong-Ou-Mandel quantum interference experiment. The present scheme will add flexibility to networking quantum information systems that use photons with various wavelengths.     

Continuous frequency up-conversion in a double-Λ scheme of Na2

 In a double-Λ level configuration of Na₂ molecules, involving rotational–vibrational levels of the X, A and B bands, continuous resonant frequency mixing ω₄=ω₁−ω₂+ω₃ is demonstrated. A DCM dye laser at 661 nm (λ₁) pumps a molecular Raman laser at 746 nm (λ₂) in a sodium heatpipe, which is used to generate the molecular vapour. In the same heatpipe, both fields are mixed with the radiation of an argon-ion laser at 514 nm (λ₃) to generate up-converted laser radiation at 473 nm (λ₄). For laser powers of 200 mW (λ₁), 700 mW (λ₂, internal power) and 140 mW (λ₃), an output power of 120 μW (λ₄) has been achieved. Dependences of the generated radiation on the pump fields (powers and detunings) and polarization features are presented; influences of coherent coupling and population transfer mechanisms are discussed. Received: 7 October 1996     

Adiabatic frequency conversion of ultrafast pulses

A new method for efficient, broadband sum and difference frequency generation of ultrafast pulses is demonstrated. The principles of the method follow from an analogy between frequency conversion and coherent optical excitation of a two-level system. For conversion of ultrafast pulses, the concepts of adiabatic conversion are developed further in order to account for dispersion and group velocity mismatch. The scheme was implemented using aperiodically poled nonlinear crystals and a single step nonlinear mixing process, leading to conversion of near-IR (∼790 nm) ultrafast pulses into the blue (∼450 nm) and mid-IR (∼3.15 μm) spectral regions. Conversion bandwidths up to 15 THz FWHM and efficiencies up to 50% are reported.     

Single photon frequency up-conversion and its applications

Optical frequency up-conversion is a technique, based on sum frequency generation in a non-linear optical medium, in which signal light from one frequency (wavelength) is converted to another frequency. By using this technique, near infrared light can be converted to light in the visible or near visible range and therefore detected by commercially available visible detectors with high efficiency and low noise. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has adapted the frequency up-conversion technique to develop highly efficient and sensitive single photon detectors and a spectrometer for use at telecommunication wavelengths. The NIST team used these single photon up-conversion detectors and spectrometer in a variety of pioneering research projects including the implementation of a quantum key distribution system; the demonstration of a detector with a temporal resolution beyond the jitter limitation of commercial single photon detectors; the characterization of an entangled photon pair source, including a direct spectrum measurement for photons generated in spontaneous parametric down-conversion; the characterization of single photons from quantum dots including the measurement of carrier lifetime with escalated high accuracy and the demonstration of the converted quantum dot photons preserving their non-classical features; the observation of 2nd, 3rd and 4th order temporal correlations of near infrared single photons from coherent and pseudo-thermal sources following frequency up-conversion; a study on the time-resolving measurement capability of the detectors using a short pulse pump and; evaluating the modulation of a single photon wave packet for better interfacing of independent sources. In this article, we will present an overview of the frequency up-conversion technique, introduce its applications in quantum information systems and discuss its unique features and prospects for the future.     

Cyclotron autoresonance maser with high Doppler frequency up-conversion

An LIA-unit with explosive emission injector was used as a basis for CARM with high Doppler frequency up-conversion when the wave frequency is 7 to 9 times the cyclotron frequency of electrons. Using a high-selectivity Bragg resonator as an electrodynamic system of CARM we investigated two regimes having essentially different properties: the dispersion characteristics of the electron beam and the wave either intersected or were tangential to one another. In the first case, the radiation power amounted to 50 MW at the wavelength of 4.4 mm with efficiency 8%. The efficiency significantly smaller than the design value was evidently caused by a high level of parasitic superluminiscence of the beam. In the second regime of operation at 6 mm, the radiation power was 30 MW with a low level of parasitic superluminiscence and efficiency 10% which was close to the calculated value.     

Adiabatic quantum pumping at the Josephson frequency

We analyze theoretically adiabatic quantum pumping through a normal conductor that couples the normal regions of two superconductor - normal-metal - superconductor Josephson junctions. By using the phases of the superconducting order parameter in the superconducting contacts as pumping parameters, we demonstrate that a nonzero pumped charge can flow through the device. The device exploits the evolution of the superconducting phases due to the ac Josephson effect, and can therefore be operated at very high frequency, resulting in a pumped current as large as a few nanoamperes. The experimental relevance of our calculations is discussed.     

Many-body ionization in a frozen Rydberg gas

In a dense gas of 300 microK 85Rb atoms of n approximately 50 ionization occurs on a 100 ns time scale, far too fast to be explained by the motion of the atoms or photoionization by 300 K blackbody radiation. Rapid ionization is accompanied by spectral broadening, with the spectrum becoming continuous at n=88 at a density of 5x10(10)cm(-3). The atomic transitions broaden both smoothly and by the emergence of new features, which we attribute to multiple atom absorptions. We attribute the rapid ionization to a sequence of near resonant dipole-dipole transitions through virtual states in this intrinsically many-body system, culminating in the ionization of some of the atoms.     

Adiabatic swimming in an ideal quantum gas

Interference effects are important for swimming of mesoscopic systems that are small relative to the coherence length of the surrounding quantum medium. Swimming is geometric for slow swimmers and the distance covered in each stroke is determined, explicitly, in terms of the on-shell scattering matrix. Remarkably, for a one-dimensional Fermi gas at zero temperature we find that slow swimming is topological: the swimming distance covered in one stroke is quantized in half integer multiples of the Fermi wavelength. In addition, a careful choice of the swimming stroke can eliminate dissipation.     

Scheme for implementing frequency up-conversion between two collective atomic modes

This paper presents a scheme for realizing the frequency up-conversion between two collective atomic modes. In the scheme two atomic samples are coupled to a cavity mode. Under the large detuning condition, the two collective atomic modes are coupled via the virtual excitation of the cavity mode and the effective Hamiltonian corresponds to the frequency up-conversion. In the scheme the cavity mode is only virtually excited and thus the process is insensitive to cavity decay.     

Adiabatic frequency conversion of optical information in atomic vapor

We experimentally demonstrate a communication protocol that enables frequency conversion and routing of quantum information in an adiabatic and thus robust way. The protocol is based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in systems with multiple excited levels: transfer and/or distribution of optical states between different signal modes is implemented by adiabatically changing the control fields. The proof-of-principle experiment is performed using the hyperfine levels of the rubidium D1 line.     

时变等离子体高功率微波频率上转换的粒子模拟

基于电磁波与时变介质相互作用能够实现电磁波频率上转换的原理,通过粒子模拟(PIC)方法对电磁波与时变等离子体薄层相互作用进行模拟,实现了频率由2.45 GHz提升至130 GHz,功率转化效率约为0.39%。探究了等离子体参数(包括等离子体密度、有限的等离子体上升时间以及等离子体薄层厚度)对频率上转换的影响。模拟结果验证了等离子体密度决定上转换频率,与理论结果相符。模拟结果表明,等离子体薄层厚度越大,得到的上转换波的能量越大;等离子体的上升时间越小,上转换波的转换效率和频谱纯度越高。采用等离子体密度21020 cm-3,等离子体厚度1 cm,等离子体上升时间0.04 ns 可以得到可观的130 GHz上转换波输出。     

时变等离子体高功率微波频率上转换的粒子模拟

基于电磁波与时变介质相互作用能够实现电磁波频率上转换的原理,通过粒子模拟(PIC)方法对电磁波与时变等离子体薄层相互作用进行模拟,实现了频率由2.45 GHz提升至130 GHz,功率转化效率约为0.39%。探究了等离子体参数(包括等离子体密度、有限的等离子体上升时间以及等离子体薄层厚度)对频率上转换的影响。模拟结果验证了等离子体密度决定上转换频率,与理论结果相符。模拟结果表明,等离子体薄层厚度越大,得到的上转换波的能量越大;等离子体的上升时间越小,上转换波的转换效率和频谱纯度越高。采用等离子体密度21020 cm-3,等离子体厚度1 cm,等离子体上升时间0.04 ns 可以得到可观的130 GHz上转换波输出。