Generation of squeezed states at low analysis frequencies

Abstract

Squeezed states are important sources in quantum physics, which have potential applications in fields such as quantum teleportation, quantum information networks, quantum memory, and quantum metrology and precise measurements. For our interest, the squeezed vacuum will be used in the quantum-enhanced optical atomic magnetometers, filling the vacuum port of the probe beam to improve measurement sensitivity. Based on the sub-threshold optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with PPKTP crystal, the squeezed vacuum at rubidium D1 line of 795 nm is obtained. In our work, we investigate the noise sources in an OPO system. By carefully controlling the classical noise source, the squeezing band extends to the analysis frequency of 2.6 kHz. The flat squeezing trace is 2.8 dB below the shot noise limit. In our work, we focus on the difference between the squeezing results at the analysis frequency of kilohertz regime at two different wavelengths, 1064 nm and 795 nm. The difference mainly comes from the absorption of 795 nm laser and its second harmonic at 397.5 nm in crystal (397.5 nm laser is at the edge of transparent window of PPKTP crystal that has an absorption index much higher than at other wavelength). The absorption induced nonlinear loss and thermal instability greatly affect the squeezing results, which is discussed in our work. Squeezing level at 795 nm is worse than at 1064 nm due to the above-mentioned factors. Noise coupling to the detection system limits the squeezing band. In the audio frequency band, squeezing is easily submerged in roll-up noises and the measured squeezing level is limited. Two factors limit the obtained squeezing:the technical noise induced in the detection and the squeezing degradation by the noise coupling of the control beams. In experiment, we carefully control the classical noise at analytical frequency of kilohertz by means of a vacuum-injected OPO, a counter-propagating cavity locking beam with orthogonal polarization, low noise homodyne detector, stable experimental system and quantum noise locking method for squeezing phase locking. Firstly, to preclude the classical noise from coupling the laser source, we use the vacuum injected OPO. A signal beam helps optimize the parametric gain and is blocked in the squeezing measurement process. In order to maintain the OPO, a counter-propagating beam with orthogonal polarization is used for locking the cavity. Then, a low noise balanced homodyne detector with a common-mode rejection ratio of 45 dB helps improve the audio frequency detection. Finally, the quantum noise locking provides a method to lock the relative phase between the coherent beam and the squeezed vacuum field. With the combination of these technical improvements, a squeezed vacuum of 2.8 dB is obtained at the analysis frequency of 2.6-100 kHz. The obtained squeezing level is mainly limited by the relatively large loss in OPO, which is induced by ultra-violet absorption in PPKTP crystal. The generated squeezed field is used to reduce the polarization noise of probe beam in an optical magnetometer, in order to increase detection sensitivity.

Quantum-enhanced rubidium atomic magnetometer based on Faraday rotation via 795 nm stokes operator squeezed light

“…At the analysis frequency of 2 MHz, we have prepared 795 nm SVS with squeezing level of −5.6 dB [18]. However, the preparation of PSS at the audio-frequency is relatively difficult due to the challenging control of system noise and the serious coupling of ambient noise [19,24], we have demonstrated that the squeezing level of PSS can be improved experimentally by using the laser intensity noise suppression systems based on acousto-optic modulator [25]. In this work, SVS with squeezing level of −4.0 ± 0.3 dB (the blue dash line) and anti-squeezing level of +7.0 ± 0.3 dB (the pink dash line) can be obtained at the analysis frequency of 10 kHz by scanning the LO beam's phase, as shown by the red curve in figure 3(a); PSS with relative noise power in Ŝ2 is ∼−3.7 ± 0.3 dB (the noise level is about 0.43 times of SNL), as shown by the red line in figure 3(b).…”