Efficient coupling of photons to a single molecule and the observation of its resonance fluorescence

Wrigge, G.; Gerhardt, Ilja; Hwang, J.; Zumofen, G.; Sandoghdar, Vahid

doi:10.1038/nphys812

Cited by 337 publications

(339 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(52 reference statements)

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“…The corresponding single-atom reflectivity is |r 1 |C0.24, representing an optical attenuation for one atom greater than 40% 12,41 . For comparison, atoms trapped near the surface of a fused silica nanofiber exhibit G 1D C(0.04 ± 0.01)G 0 (refs [27][28][29], comparable with observations with atoms and molecules with strongly focused light 45,46 . By comparing with numerical simulations, our measurements suggest that atoms are guided to unit cells of the PCW by optical dipole forces.…”

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confidence: 79%

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Atom–light interactions in photonic crystals

et al. 2014

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The integration of nanophotonics and atomic physics has been a long-sought goal that would open new frontiers for optical physics, including novel quantum transport and many-body phenomena with photon-mediated atomic interactions. Reaching this goal requires surmounting diverse challenges in nanofabrication and atomic manipulation. Here we report the development of a novel integrated optical circuit with a photonic crystal capable of both localizing and interfacing atoms with guided photons. Optical bands of a photonic crystal waveguide are aligned with selected atomic transitions. From reflection spectra measured with average atom number N ¼ 1:1 AE 0:4, we infer that atoms are localized within the waveguide by optical dipole forces. The fraction of single-atom radiative decay into the waveguide is G 1D /G 0 C(0.32 ± 0.08), where G 1D is the rate of emission into the guided mode and G 0 is the decay rate into all other channels. G 1D /G 0 is unprecedented in all current atom-photon interfaces.

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confidence: 79%

“…The measured coupling rate G 1D (quoted absent Purcell enhancement and inhibition due to an external cavity) is unprecedented in all current atom-photon interfaces, whether for atoms trapped near a nanofiber [27][28][29] , one atom in free space 45 , or a single molecule on a surface 46 . For example, in ref.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atom–light interactions in photonic crystals

et al. 2014

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“…To saturate such an atomic ensemble and thus produce a nonlinear optical response, a correspondingly large number of photons n ≈ N ≈ d 2 /λ 2 ≈ 1/p is needed. A number of experiments have attempted to maximize the atom-photon interaction probability p by concentrating laser light to a small area, achieving sizeable atom-photon interaction probabilities of p ≈ 0.05 with laser beams focused on neutral atoms 23,24 , p ≈ 0.01 with ions 25 , and p ≈ 0.1 with molecules on a surface 26 .…”

Section: Quantum Nonlinear Optics -Photon By Photonmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum nonlinear optics — photon by photon

2014

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other. This linearity in light propagation, in combination with the high frequency and hence large bandwidth provided by waves at optical frequencies, has made optical signals the preferred method for communicating information over long distances. In contrast, the processing of information requires some form of interaction between signals. In the case of light, such interactions can be enabled by nonlinear optical processes. These processes, which are now found ubiquitously throughout science and technology, include optical modulation and switching, nonlinear spectroscopy and frequency conversion 1 , and have applications across both the physical 2 and biological 3,4 sciences.A long-standing goal in optical science has been the implementation of nonlinear effects at progressively lower light powers or pulse energies. The ultimate limit may be termed 'quantum nonlinear optics' (Box 1) -the regime where individual photons interact so strongly with one another that the propagation of light pulses containing one, two or more photons varies substantially with photon number. Although this domain is difficult to reach owing to the small nonlinear coefficients of bulk optical materials, the potential payoff is significant. The realization of quantum nonlinear optics could improve the performance of classical nonlinear devices, enabling, for example, fast energy-efficient optical transistors that avoid Ohmic heating 5 . Furthermore, nonlinear switches activated by single photons could enable optical quantum information processing and communication 6 , as well as other applications that rely on the generation and manipulation of non-classical light fields 7,8 . The challenge of making photons interactAt low optical powers, most optical materials exhibit only linear optical phenomena, such as refraction and absorption, which can be described by a complex index of refraction. However, a sufficiently intense light beam can modify a material's index of refraction, such that the light propagation becomes power-dependent. This is the essence of classical nonlinear optics (Box 1). Large optical fields are required to alter the index of refraction of conventional bulk materials because a strong nonlinear response can only be induced if the electric field of the light beam acting on the electrons is comparable to the field of the nucleus. As a result, early experimental observations of nonlinear optical phenomena, such as frequencydoubling or sum-frequency generation 9 , were achievable only after the development of powerful lasers. Advances in nonlinear optics over the past four decades have resulted in progressively more efficient nonlinear processes 10 , thus enabling the observation of nonlinear processes at lower and lower light levels. It is natural to inquire if and how these nonlinear interactions can be made so strong that they become important even at the level of individual quanta of radiation. Although this question was addressed in early theoretical studies [11][12][13] , it has become more pressing with the advent of...

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“…Recent developments in single-molecule spectroscopy have however been able to push the limits of coherent detection under various conditions [19][20][21][22][23]. On the theoretical side, it has been found that there is a profound relationship between the optimal concentration of electromagnetic energy and the strength of light-matter interaction [24,25], pointing out how the possibility of focusing light below the diffraction limit may enhance the detected signal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light scattering under nanofocusing: Towards coherent nanoscopies

Mohammadi

Agio

2012

Optics Communications

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We investigate light scattering under nanofocusing in the context of coherent spectroscopy. We discuss the different mechanisms that may enhance the signal in extinction and how these depend on nanofocusing as well as on the probed system. We find that nanofocusing may improve the detection sensitivity by orders of magnitude under realistic conditions, enabling scanning implementations of coherent spectroscopy at the nanoscale.

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Efficient coupling of photons to a single molecule and the observation of its resonance fluorescence

Cited by 337 publications

References 43 publications

Atom–light interactions in photonic crystals

Atom–light interactions in photonic crystals

Quantum nonlinear optics — photon by photon

Light scattering under nanofocusing: Towards coherent nanoscopies

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