Optimal control of atom transport for quantum gates in optical lattices

By means of optimal control techniques we model and optimize the manipulation of the external quantum state (center-of-mass motion) of atoms trapped in adjustable optical potentials. We consider in detail the cases of both noninteracting and interacting atoms moving between neighboring sites in a lattice of a double-well optical potentials. Such a lattice can perform interaction-mediated entanglement of atom pairs and can realize two-qubit quantum gates. The optimized control sequences for the optical potential allow transport faster and with significantly larger fidelity than is possible with processes based on adiabatic transport.

Hänsch--Couillaud locking of Mach--Zehnder interferometer for carrier removal from a phase-modulated optical spectrum

We describe and analyse the operation and stabilization of a Mach--Zehnder interferometer, which separates the carrier and the first-order sidebands of a phase-modulated laser field, and which is locked using the H\"ansch--Couillaud method. In addition to the necessary attenuation, our interferometer introduces, via total internal reflection, a significant polarization-dependent phase delay. We employ a general treatment to describe an interferometer with an object which affects the field along one path, and we examine how this phase delay affects the error signal. We discuss the requirements necessary to ensure the lock point remains unchanged when phase modulation is introduced, and we demonstrate and characterize this locking experimentally. Finally, we suggest an extension to this locking strategy using heterodyne detection.

Three-mode entanglement by interlinked nonlinear interactions in optical chi((2)) media

We address the generation of fully inseparable three-mode entangled states of radiation by interlinked nonlinear interactions in chi((2)) media. We show how three-mode entanglement can be used to realize symmetric and asymmetric telecloning machines, which achieve optimal fidelity for coherent states. An experimental implementation involving a single nonlinear crystal in which the two interactions take place simultaneously is suggested. Preliminary experimental results showing the feasibility and the effectiveness of the interaction scheme with a seeded crystal are also presented. (C) 2004 Optical Society of America.

Optical quantum memory for polarization qubits with V-type three-level atoms

We investigate an optical quantum memory scheme with V-type three-level atoms based on the controlled reversible inhomogeneous broadening (CRIB) technique. We theoretically show the possibility to store and retrieve a weak light pulse interacting with the two optical transitions of the system. This scheme implements a quantum memory for a polarization qubit - a single photon in an arbitrary polarization state - without the need of two spatially separated two-level media, thus offering the advantage of experimental compactness overcoming the limitations due to mismatching and unequal efficiencies that can arise in spatially separated memories. The effects of a relative phase change between the atomic levels, as well as of phase noise due to, for example, the presence of spurious electric and magnetic fields are analyzed.

Enhanced optomechanical readout using optical coalescence

We present a scheme to strongly enhance the readout sensitivity of the squared displacement of a mobile scatterer placed in a Fabry-Pérot cavity. We investigate the largely unexplored regime of cavity electrodynamics in which a highly reflective element positioned between the end mirrors of a symmetric Fabry-Pérot resonator strongly modifies the cavity response function, such that two longitudinal modes with different spatial parity are brought close to frequency degeneracy and interfere in the cavity output field. In the case of a movable middle reflector we show that the interference in this generic "optical coalescence" phenomenon gives rise to an enhanced frequency shift of the peaks of the cavity transmission that can be exploited in optomechanics. © 2013 American Physical Society.

Optical Characterization and Optimization of Display Components : Some Applications to Liquid-Crystal-Based and Electrochromics-Based Devices

This dissertation is focused on theoretical and experimental studies of optical properties of materials and multilayer structures composing liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and electrochromic (EC) devices. By applying spectroscopic ellipsometry, we have determined the optical constants of thin films of electrochromic tungsten oxide (WOx) and nickel oxide (NiOy), the films’ thickness and roughness. These films, which were obtained at spattering conditions possess high transmittance that is important for achieving good visibility and high contrast in an EC device. Another application of the general spectroscopic ellipsometry relates to the study of a photo-alignment layer of a mixture of azo-dyes SD-1 and SDA-2. We have found the optical constants of this mixture before and after illuminating it by polarized UV light. The results obtained confirm the diffusion model to explain the formation of the photo-induced order in azo-dye films. We have developed new techniques for fast characterization of twisted nematic LC cells in transmissive and reflective modes. Our techniques are based on the characteristics functions that we have introduced for determination of parameters of non-uniform birefringent media. These characteristic functions are found by simple procedures and can be utilised for simultaneous determination of retardation, its wavelength dispersion, and twist angle, as well as for solving associated optimization problems. Cholesteric LCD that possesses some unique properties, such as bistability and good selective scattering, however, has a disadvantage – relatively high driving voltage (tens of volts). The way we propose to reduce the driving voltage consists of applying a stack of thin (~1µm) LC layers. We have studied the ability of a layer of a surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal coupled with several retardation plates for birefringent color generation. We have demonstrated that in order to accomplish good color characteristics and high brightness of the display, one or two retardation plates are sufficient.

The critical number of atoms in an attractive Bose-Einstein condensate on optical plus harmonic traps

The stability of an attractive Bose-Einstein condensate on a joint one-dimensional optical lattice and an axially symmetrical harmonic trap is studied using the numerical solution of the time-dependent mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii equation and the critical number of atoms for a stable condensate is calculated. We also calculate this critical number of atoms in a double-well potential which is always greater than that in an axially symmetrical harmonic trap. The critical number of atoms in an optical trap can be made smaller or larger than the corresponding number in the absence of the optical trap by moving a node of the optical lattice potential in the axial direction of the harmonic trap. This variation of the critical number of atoms can be observed experimentally and compared with the present calculations.

Expansion of a Bose-Einstein condensate formed on a joint harmonic and one-dimensional optical-lattice potential

We study the expansion of a Bose-Einstein condensate trapped in a combined optical-lattice and axially-symmetric harmonic potential using the numerical solution of the mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii equation. First, we consider the expansion of such a condensate under the action of the optical-lattice potential alone. In this case the result of numerical simulation for the axial and radial sizes during expansion is in agreement with two experiments by Morsch et al (2002 Phys. Rev. A 66 021601(R) and 2003 Laser Phys. 13 594). Finally, we consider the expansion under the action of the harmonic potential alone. In this case the oscillation, and the disappearance and revival of the resultant interference pattern is in agreement with the experiment by Muller et al (2003 J. Opt. B: Quantum Semiclass. Opt. 5 S38).

Dynamical classical superfluid-insulator transition in a Bose-Einstein condensate on an optical lattice

We predict a dynamical: classical superfluid-insulator transition in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) trapped in combined optical and axially symmetrical harmonic potentials initiated by the periodic modulation of the radial trapping potential. The transition is marked by a loss of phase coherence in the BEC and a subsequent destruction of the interference pattern upon free:expansion. For a weak modulation of the radial potential the phase coherence is maintained. For a stronger modulation and a longer holding time in the modulated trap, the phase coherence is destroyed thus signalling a classical superfluid-insulator transition. The results are illustrated by a complete numerical solution of the axially symmetrical mean-field Gross-Pitaevskii equation for a repulsive BEC. Suggestions for future experimentation are-made.

Three-dimensional solitons in cross-combined linear and nonlinear optical lattices

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Two-dimensional dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate bright and vortex solitons on a one-dimensional optical lattice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Gap solitons in a dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate on a three-dimensional optical lattice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Localization of a dipolar Bose-Einstein condensate in a bichromatic optical lattice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Localization of a Bose-Einstein condensate in a bichromatic optical lattice

By direct numerical simulation of the time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation, we study different aspects of the localization of a noninteracting ideal Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in a one-dimensional bichromatic quasiperiodic optical-lattice potential. Such a quasiperiodic potential, used in a recent experiment on the localization of a BEC, can be formed by the superposition of two standing-wave polarized laser beams with different wavelengths. We investigate the effect of the variation of optical amplitudes and wavelengths on the localization of a noninteracting BEC. We also simulate the nonlinear dynamics when a harmonically trapped BEC is suddenly released into a quasiperiodic potential, as done experimentally in a laser speckle potential. We finally study the destruction of the localization in an interacting BEC due to the repulsion generated by a positive scattering length between the bosonic atoms. © 2009 The American Physical Society.

Investigation of the optical absorption of a magnetic colloid from the thermal to the electronic time-scale regime: measurement of the free-carrier absorption cross-section

The free-carrier absorption cross-section sigma of a magnetic colloid composed of magnetite nanoparticles dispersed in oil is obtained by using the Z-scan technique in different experimental conditions of the laser beam. We show that it is possible to obtain sigma with picosecond pulsed and millisecond chopped beams with pulse frequencies smaller than about 30 Hz. For higher pulse frequencies, the heating of the colloidal system triggers the appearance of the Soret effect. This effect artificially increases the value of sigma calculated from the experimental results. The limits of the different experimental setups are discussed. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America