Strong light‐matter coupling between a molecular vibrational mode in a PMMA film and a low‐loss mid‐IR microcavity

Microcavity devices exhibiting strong light‐matter coupling in the mid‐infrared spectral range offer the potential to explore exciting open physical questions pertaining to energy transfer between heat and light and can lead to a new generation of efficient wavelength tunable mid‐infrared sources of coherent light based on polariton Bose‐Einstein Condensation. Vibrational transitions of organic molecules, which often have strong absorption peaks in the infrared and considerably narrower linewidths than organic excitonic resonances, can generate polaritonic states in the mid‐infrared spectral range using microcavity devices. Here, narrow linewidth polaritonic resonances are exhibited in the mid‐infrared by coupling the carbonyl stretch vibrational transition of a polymethyl methacrylate film to the photonic resonance of a low optical‐loss mid‐infrared microcavity, which consisted of two Ge/ZnS dielectric Bragg reflectors. Rabi‐splitting of 14.3 meV is observed, with a 4.4 meV polariton linewidth at anti‐crossing. The large Rabi‐splitting relative to linewidth indicates efficient impedance‐matching between the bare vibrational and photonic states, and suggests molecular‐vibration polaritons incorporated in dielectric microcavities can be an enabling step towards realizing polariton optical switching and polariton condensation in the mid‐infrared spectral range.     

The influence of exciton motion on spin-resonance absorption

We use a stochastic model for the exciton motion which comprises both the coherent and the incoherent motion. The incoherent part is taken care of by a stochastic process which allows the local excitation energy and the transition matrix element to fluctuate by means of a Markovian process. The interaction between the spins and their surroundings is described by the usual spin-Hamiltonian which is, however, simplified to a spin 1/2 particle (instead of the triplet state). In the present paper we solve exactly the two limiting cases of completely coherent and incoherent motion (for two molecules). In the incoherent case the influence of the exchange interaction integral is taken into account by perturbation theory. We find expressions which are immediately comparable with ESR-experimental data. This comparison and additional information derived from optical absorption measurements allow us to determine all free parameters of our model uniquely. In particular, the fluctuations of the exchange interaction integral (with strength γ₁) play an important role. From these parameters we may furthermore calculate the correlation time of the proton spin resonance in agreement with experimental data. The results show clearly that at room temperature in anthracene crystals the exciton undergoes a hopping process.     

Electromagnetically induced transparency in bulk and microcavity semiconductors

We discuss our recent results on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effects based on intrinsic free exciton and biexciton states in semiconductors. The Λ configuration obtained from the 1S and 2P yellow exciton levels of Cu₂O leads to a well-developed EIT regime, akin to the atomic case. The coherent driving of the exciton–biexciton transition in CuCl induces a tunable transparency window within the polaritonic stop-band, due to the presence of a third polariton branch in the dressed system. In a microcavity configuration, this gives rise to three reflectivity dips in the strong coupling regime.     

Formation of pairing fields in resonantly coupled atomic and molecular bose-einstein condensates

We show that pair correlations may play an important role in the dynamical properties of a Bose-Einstein condensed gas composed of an atomic field resonantly coupled with a condensed field of molecular dimers. Specifically, pair correlations in this system can dramatically modify the coherent and incoherent transfers between the atomic and molecular fields.     

Experimental demonstration of selective coherent population transfer via a continuum

We report the first experimental demonstration of coherent population transfer, induced by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage, via continuum states. Population is transferred from the metastable state 2s(1)S(0) to the excited state 4s(1)S(0) in helium atoms in a two-photon process mediated by coherent interaction with the ionization continuum. While incoherent techniques usually do not permit any population transfer in such a process, we show that stimulated Raman adiabatic passage allows significant population transfer to take place also via ultrafast decay channels.     

Bilayer coherent and quantum Hall phases: duality and quantum disorder

We consider a fully spin-polarized quantum Hall system with no interlayer tunneling at total filling factor nu = 1/k (where k is an odd integer) using the Chern-Simons-Ginzburg-Landau theory. Exploiting particle-vortex duality and the concept of quantum disordering, we find a large number of possible compressible and incompressible ground states, some of which may have relevance to recent experiments of Spielman et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 5808 (2000)]. We find interlayer coherent compressible states without Hall quantization and interlayer incoherent incompressible states with Hall quantization in addition to the usual (k,k,k) Halperin states, which are both interlayer coherent and incompressible.     

Microscopic theory of optical excitations,photoluminescence, and terahertz response in semiconductors

This article presents a comprehensive many-body theory for optically excited semiconductors. The coupled equations of motion for the correlation functions of the Coulomb-interacting electron-hole system are derived and solved for different excitation conditions. The generation of a coherent excitonic polarization and its conversion into incoherent populations is analyzed. The spontaneous emission properties of the excited system are evaluated using a fully quantized theory. Luminescence from excitonic and electron-hole plasma populations is computed, and significant hole burning in the exciton center of mass distributions is predicted. It is shown how different excitations states of the many-body system can be identified by their characteristic signatures in the absorption spectra of a terahertz probe field.     

Interaction of nonlocal incoherent spatial solitons

We investigate numerically the interaction of nonlocal incoherent spatial solitons in strongly nonlocal kerr media based on the coherent density approach. Numerical simulations show that the incoherent soliton position is very similar to the case of coherent soliton, and show that the incoherence plays an important role in the soliton interaction, while the role of other parameters such as the phase difference, the separation, the extent of nonlocality and the input power play in the interaction is very similar to the case of nonlocal coherent soliton. Some interesting numerical examples are presented to illustrate their interaction behavior further. Pertinent physics features are addressed.     

Chimera States mediated by nonlocally attractive-repulsive coupling in FitzHugh–Nagumo neural networks

The spontaneous occurrence of heterogeneous behaviors in homogeneous systems is an intriguing phenomenon. Recently, a remarkable heterogeneous behavior, called “chimera states”, which consists of spatially coherent and incoherent domains, has been studied in a great variety of systems including physical, chemical, biological, or optical. In this paper, chimera states in FitzHugh–Nagumo (FHN) neural networks are investigated. The identical FHN neurons are assigned in a ring and nonlocally coupled by attractive and repulsive couplings. We show that, the chimera states can be induced by the cooperation of nonlocally attractive and repulsive interactions between these neurons. Moreover, depending on the strength and range of attractive or repulsive couplings, the neural networks display different spatiotemporal behaviors, including chimera states, multi-cluster (MC) chimera states, traveling waves, traveling coherent states, solitary states, bursting synchronizations, and synchronizations. These results suggest that attractive and repulsive couplings may play a crucial role in mediating dynamic behavior of neural networks, and these results could be useful in understanding and predicting the rich dynamics of neural networks.     

Quantum coherent versus classical coherent light

The paper shows that the Wigner distribution function of quantum optical coherent states, or of a superposition of such states, can be produced and measured with a classical optical set-up using classical coherent light fields. This measurement cannot be done directly in quantum optics since the quantum phase space variables correspond to non-commuting operators. As an example, the Wigner distribution function of Schrödinger cat states of light has been measured. It is also shown that the possibility of measuring the Wigner distribution function of quantum coherent states with classical coherent fields is unique in the sense that it cannot be extended to other quantum states, not even to the incoherent limit of the superposition of coherent states.     

Enhanced coherent emission aided by an incoherent process

Enhanced emission of a coherent signal generated by the nonlinear process omega(f)+omega(b)-omega(p) has been found in an incoherently pumped four-level system. It is shown that finite (large) atomic coherence can be generated by (incoherent) pumping of the intermediate states, which removes the destructive interference effects that otherwise inhibit coherent emission of signals.     

Enhanced nonlinear generation in a three-level medium with spatially dependent coherence

We consider a method for efficient parametric generation of a laser pulse. A single laser field is injected into a three-level medium that has two lower states and one excited state. The lower states are initially prepared in a position-dependent coherent superposition state. It is shown that, by proper choice of the position dependence of the superposition along the direction of propagation, the incoming field can be completely converted to a new field.     

Highly selective population of two excited states [2mm]in nonresonant two-photon absorption

A nonresonant two-photon absorption process can be manipulated by tailoring the ultra-short laser pulse. In this paper, we theoretically demonstrate a highly selective population of two excited states in the nonresonant two-photon absorption process by rationally designing a spectral phase distribution. Our results show that one excited state is maximally populated while the other state population is widely tunable from zero to the maximum value. We believe that the theoretical results may play an important role in the selective population of a more complex nonlinear process comprising nonresonant two-photon absorption, such as resonance-mediated (2+1)-three-photon absorption and (2+1)-resonant multiphoton ionization.     

Density Operator in Terms of Coherent States Representation with the Applications in the Quantum Information

In the quantum information theory operates with qubits and N-qubits that can be express through coherent states. Density operator admits a representation in terms of coherent states formalism. Consequently, in this paper the notions of qubit and density operators are described in the framework of coherent states. We have expressed a qubit as a coherent state, and thus a sequence of qubits becomes the tensor product of the coherent states. For the ensembles of qubits, it could be used the density operator, in order to describe the informational content of the ensemble. The coherent states representation may play an important role in the quantum information theory and the use of this formalism is not only theoretical, but also, due to its applications, of some practical relevance.     

Transient and steady-state properties of asymmetric semiconductor quantum wells at telecom wavelength bands

The transient and steady-state dispersion and absorption properties of a three-subband asymmetric semiconductor quantum well system are investigated. In the steady-state regime, it is shown that by increasing the strength of Fano-interference as well as enhancement of energy splitting of two excited states the slope of dispersion changes from negative to positive which is corresponding to a switch between superluminal to subluminal light propagation. At the same time, the probe absorption reduces at telecommunication wavelength λ = 1550 nm. The influence of incoherent pumping fields on time-dependent susceptibility is then discussed. It is found that due to more transfer of population to the upper levels, increasing the rate of incoherent pump field leads to the reduction of probe absorption. In addition, it is realized that incoherent pumping has a major role in converting fast to slow propagation of light at long wavelength. We also introduce an extra controllability for the light pulse to be slow downed at Telecom wavelength just through the quantum interference arising from incoherent pumping fields. The obtained results may be practical in telecommunication applications.     

修饰态布居的选择性激发对无反转激光的作用

以三能级V型系统为例研究修饰态布居的选择性激发对无反转激光增益的作用. 当非 相干驱动场的频谱宽度远小于驱动场产生的修饰态能级的间距时，非相干驱动场只将一个修 饰态的布居抽运至激发态. 借助原子的衰减通道，系统中形成单向布居转移通道，从而建立 修饰态布居的选择性激发. 利用修饰态布居的选择性激发，可以摆脱裸态共振无反转激光的 三个限制: (1) 不再要求辅助的低频驱动跃迁比高频激光跃迁具有更高的衰减速率；(2) 显 著降低非相干激发速率的阈值；(3) 无反转激光的线性增益不再反比于相干驱动场的强 关键词： 修饰态布居的选择性激发 无反转激光增益 原子衰减速率 非相干激发阈值速率     

Specific features of the hybridization of Frenkel and Wannier–Mott excitons in a microcavity

Polariton states have been investigated in a microcavity, where the energy of the Frenkel exciton in an organic quantum well and the energy of the semiconductor Wannier–Mott exciton in an inorganic quantum well are close to the microcavity optical mode. It has been shown that the interaction of each of these excitons with the microcavity optical mode leads to their interaction with each other and to the formation of mutually coupled hybrid excitations. The influence of the location of the quantum wells in a microcavity on the spectra of hybrid states with different polarizations has been analyzed.     

The probe gain with and without inversion in a four—level atomic model：light amplification at a short wavelength

We propose a new four-level atomic model for achieving light amplification at a short wavelength, where direct incoherent pumping into the top level is avoided by the advantage of coherent pumping. In this model, the lower level of the probe transition is an excited state but not the usual ground state. By analytical as well as numerical calculations, we find that the probe gain, either with or without population inversion, which depends on the relation between spontaneous decay rates $\g_{42}$ and $\g_{21}$, can be achieved with proper parameters. We note that the Raman scattering gain always plays an important role in achieving the probe amplification.     

Stimulated Raman adiabatic passage via the ionization continuum in helium: Experiment and theory

We experimentally demonstrate coherent population transfer, driven by stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) between two bound quantum states, coupled via a continuum of states. We present extended numerical and experimental investigations on population transfer from the metastable state 2s ¹S₀ to the excited state 4s ¹S₀ in metastable helium atoms. While techniques based on incoherent excitation do not permit any population transfer via rapidly decaying continuum states, our data indicate a maximum transfer efficiency of 20% in coherent excitation by STIRAP. We study the transfer efficiency with respect to the relevant experimental parameters.