Controlling light with light and probing the quantum-classical transition in cavity quantum electrodynamics

• Grant number: 15/21229-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: March 01, 2016
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Principal Investigator: James Alves de Souza
• Grantee: James Alves de Souza
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias para a Sustentabilidade (CCTS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). Sorocaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The emerging fields of quantum computation and quantum information science has required efforts on the development of new concepts and tools for the controlled application of quantum phenomena, in particular at the most fundamental level of single particles. In optical physics, it is cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) which provides the ideal setting to engineer the interaction between individual quanta of light and matter. The control of light with light at the single photon level is a challenging task that has numerous interesting applications within nonlinear optics and quantum information science. This type of control can only be achieved through highly nonlinear interactions, such as those based on electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). CQED also provides an ideal setting to study the quantum-classical transition (QCT) by scaling the properties of the system from the weak excitation regime into the strong driving regime. The purpose of our project is on exploring theoretically the phenomenon of EIT in cavity QED to optically control the quantum fluctuations and photon statistics of a light beam, considering the analysis of a system comprised by N greater or equal to 1 identical non-interacting three-level atoms, with each atom coupled to the same mode of the optical cavity. We also consider two-level atom-cavity systems to demonstrate the all-optical control of the field formed inside the cavity by a second laser beam. Both systems are useful to analyze the QCT for the intracavity field by varying the atom-cavity coupling as well as the number of quanta in the probe field. With this project we expect to provide a deeper understanding of the very basis of quantum mechanics to contribute to adequately understand and improve the functionality of quantum devices. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

OLIVEIRA, R. R.; BORGES, H. S.; SOUZA, J. A.; VILLAS-BOAS, C. J.. A multitasking device based on electromagnetically induced transparency in optical cavities. QUANTUM INFORMATION PROCESSING, v. 17, n. 11, NOV 2018. (13/04162-5, 15/21229-1, 12/00176-9, 14/12740-1)