Speaker:
Dr. Michal Bajcsy
Ginzton Laboratory, Stanford University
Title:
Quantum Optics Inside Hollow Optical Waveguides and Photonic-Crystal Cavities
Date:
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Time:
11:00 am - 12:00 noon
Location:
EIT 3142
Abstract:
Physical systems in which linear and nonlinear light-matter and
light-light interactions at few photon levels can be achieved and
controlled have been a long standing focus of both science and
engineering. The motivations for these efforts include studies of
quantum-mechanical phenomena in condensed matter or atomic systems,
quantum metrology, long distance secure communications and scalable
quantum computers, as well as devices for high-speed and low power
processing or transfer of information. Atomic and solid state quantum
emitters coupled to optical resonators or photonic waveguides are
considered excellent platforms for controllable implementation of these
light-matter and light-light interactions at single or few photon level.
Yet, while significant progress has been made in physical implementation
of these systems during recent years, scalability of both atomic and
solid state platforms remains elusive. In my talk I will describe recent
experiments that could potentially serve as stepping stones toward
scalable on-chip architectures for quantum optics applications.
First, I will discuss our experiments in solid-state cavity quantum
electrodynamics based on a single self-assembled InAs quantum dot
embedded in a GaAs photonic-crystal cavity. With the quantum dot as a
two-level quantum emitter and using the phenomena of photon blockade
and photon-induced tunneling, we recently managed to probe the higher
manifolds of the Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian [1]. Additionally, we
used this coupled cavity-dot system to implement a proof-of-principle
all-optical switch controlled with single photons and capable of operating
at speeds exceeding 10 GHz [2].
In the second part of the talk, I will introduce an experimental system
based on a laser-cooled atomic ensemble confined to a hollow-core
photonic-crystal fiber [3]. So far, we demonstrated all-optical
switching controlled with a few hundred photons [4], but the system has
the potential to realize controllable cavity-free interactions between
single photons. Finally, I will outline the future directions of this
work that aim to combine the advantages of both the solid state and atom
based strategies into a hybrid platform for scalable quantum technology
systems.
-
A. Majumdar, M. Bajcsy, J. Vuckovic, "Probing the ladder of dressed
states and nonclassical light generation in quantum dot-cavity QED,"
arXiv: 1106.1926 (currently under review)
-
D. Englund, A. Majumdar, M. Bajcsy, A. Faraon, P. Petroff,
J. Vuckovic, "Ultrafast photonphoton interaction in a strongly
coupled dot-cavity system," arXiv: 1107.2956 (currently under review)
-
M. Bajcsy, S. Hofferberth, T. Peyronel, V. Balic, Q. Liang, A. S. Zibrov,
V. Vuletic, M. D. Lukin, "Laser-cooled atoms inside a hollow-core
photonic-crystal fiber," Physical Review A 83, 063830 (2011)
-
M. Bajcsy, S. Hofferberth, V. Balic, T. Peyronel, M. Hafezi, A. S. Zibrov,
V. Vuletic, M. D. Lukin, "Efficient all-optical switching using slow
light within a hollow fiber," Physical Review Letters 102, 203902 (2009)
Biography:
Michal Bajcsy is a postdoctoral scholar in the group of Jelena Vuckovic
in Ginzton Laboratory at Stanford University. He received both his
PhD in Applied Physics and his Bachelor of Science in Electrical and
Computer Engineering from Harvard University's School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences.
During his PhD, he was a part of Mikhail Lukin's group at Harvard and
a visiting student in Vladan Vuletic's group at MIT. Michal's PhD
research included a study of electromagnetically induced transparency in
room temperature rubidium vapor that led to a demonstration of stationary
light pulses, and a joint experiment between Vuletic and Lukin groups that
studied interactions between tightly confined cold atoms and few photon
pulses in a hollow core photonic-crystal fiber. His current work focuses
on experiments based on solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics.
In his free time, Michal enjoys ballroom dancing, hiking, downhill skiing,
and books by Scott Adams.
