Quantum optical diode with semiconductor microcavities

Abstract

The semiconductor diode, which acts as an electrical rectifier and allows unidirectional electronic transports, is the key to information processing in integrated circuits. Analogously, an optical rectifier (or diode) working at specific target wavelengths has recently becomes a dreaming device in optical communication and signal processing. In this paper, we propose a scheme to realize an optical diode for photonic transport at the level of few photons. The system consists of two spatially overlapping single-mode semiconductor microcavities coupled via ${\chi ^{(2)}}$ nonlinearities. The photon blockade is predicted to take place in this system. These photon blockade effects can be achieved by tuning the frequency of the input laser field (driving field). Based on those blockades, we derive analytically the single- and two-photon current in terms of zero and finite-time delayed two-order correlation function. The results suggest that the system can serve as an single- and two-photon quantum optical diodes which allow transmission of photons in one direction much more efficiently than in the other.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Prospects of reaching the quantum regime in Li–Yb+ mixtures

“…By adjusting the axial and radial trapping fields, it is possible to change the shape and dimensionality to form two dimensional ion crystals [55][56][57][58]. Even with perfect micromotion compensation, there are always ions within any nonlinear crystal that have their quasi-equilibrium position outside the radiofrequency node axis, thus experiencing a non-vanishing oscillating electric field, leading to additional, unavoidable micromotion.…”

Nonreciprocal quantum transport at junctions of structured leads

“…Such phenomenon may arise from asymmetry and nonlinearity in the underlying dynamics -on a quantum mechanical level, effective nonlinearily is associated to interactions between particles. In recent years, the study and design of systems that rectify transport has continuously expanded into the quantum regime, for example in optical systems [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24] and spin models [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]. Most of the recent literature has focused on phenomenological Markovian baths.…”

Ultraslow long-living plasmons with electromagnetically induced transparency

“…As compared to SPPs on a thick metal layer, the described plasmons, especially the long range modes, are characterized by a very long, nanosecond lifetimes and propagation distances on the order of millimetres [1,6,17,18]. This key characteristic of thin film plasmons is crucial in practical realization of our scheme, allowing for macroscopic sample size, as compared to other schemes based on a typical Kretschmann configuration [9,11].…”

“…SPPs can propagate over considerable distances reaching up to centimeters [1], which makes them suitable for processing with external means [6]. One of such means takes advantage of the tunability offered by EIT [7][8][9][10]. EIT has already been proposed for slowing down SPPs near the interference between dielectric and active, negative index metamaterial [11].…”