Cooperative Optical Non-linearity In A Blockaded Rydberg Ensemble (springer Theses)
by Jonathan D. Pritchard /
2012 / English / PDF
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This thesis describes the first demonstration of a cooperative
optical non-linearity based on Rydberg excitation. Whereas in
conventional non-linear optics the non-linearity arises directly
from the interaction between light and matter, in a cooperative
process it is mediated by dipole-dipole interactions between
light-induced excitations. For excitation to high Rydberg states
where the electron is only weakly bound, the dipole-dipole
interactions are extremely large and long range, enabling an
enormous enhancement of the non-linear effect. Consequently,
cooperative non-linear optics using Rydberg excitations opens a
new era for quantum optics enabling large single photon
non-linearity to be accessible in free space for the first time.
The thesis describes the theoretical underpinnings of the non-
linear effect, the pioneering experimental results and
implications for experiments in the single photon regime.
This thesis describes the first demonstration of a cooperative
optical non-linearity based on Rydberg excitation. Whereas in
conventional non-linear optics the non-linearity arises directly
from the interaction between light and matter, in a cooperative
process it is mediated by dipole-dipole interactions between
light-induced excitations. For excitation to high Rydberg states
where the electron is only weakly bound, the dipole-dipole
interactions are extremely large and long range, enabling an
enormous enhancement of the non-linear effect. Consequently,
cooperative non-linear optics using Rydberg excitations opens a
new era for quantum optics enabling large single photon
non-linearity to be accessible in free space for the first time.
The thesis describes the theoretical underpinnings of the non-
linear effect, the pioneering experimental results and
implications for experiments in the single photon regime.
