Producing slow light in warm alkali vapor using electromagnetically induced transparency

Abstract

We present undergraduate-friendly instructions on how to produce light pulses propagating through warm Rubidium vapor with speeds less than 400 m/s, i.e., nearly a million times slower than c. We elucidate the role played by electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) in producing slow light pulses and discuss how to achieve the required experimental conditions. The optical setup is presented, and details provided for preparation of pump, probe, and reference pulses of the required size, frequency, intensity, temporal width, and polarization purity. EIT-based slow light pulses provide the most widely studied architecture for creating quantum memories. Therefore, the basic concepts presented here are useful for physics and engineering majors who wish to get involved in the development of cutting-edge quantum technologies.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2023
Source ID
10.1119/5.0128967

Entities

People

  • Jianqiao Li
  • Kefeng Jiang
  • Kenneth Derose
  • Linzhao Zhuo
  • Macbeth Julius
  • Samir Bali
  • Scott Wenner

Organizations

  • Army Research Office
  • Miami University

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Quantum Computing