Optical control of diffuse light storage in an ultracold atomic gas

Abstract

We show that coherent multiple light scattering, or diffuse light propagation, in a disordered atomic medium, prepared at ultralow temperatures, can be be effectively delayed in the presence of a strong control field initiating a stimulated Raman process. On a relatively short time scale, when the atomic system can preserve its configuration and effects of atomic motion can be ignored, the scattered signal pulse, diffusely propagating via multiple coherent scattering through the medium, can be stored in the spin subsystem through its stimulated Raman-type conversion into spin coherence.We demonstrate how this mechanism, potentially interesting for developing quantum memories, would work for the example of a coherent light pulse propagating through an alkali-metal atomic vapor under typical conditions attainable in experiments with ultracold atoms.

A scaling law for light scattering from dense and cold atomic ensembles

“…For instance, such gases can be used in quantum information science, in which cold clouds are promising objects for quantum memory problems (1)(2)(3)(4)(5). Theoretical results have also suggested that a high degree of vacuum squeezing of near resonance radiation may be obtained in such optically dense media through the action of the polarization self rotation effect (6)(7)(8).…”

Quantum hologram of macroscopically entangled light via the mechanism of diffuse light storage

“…The time reversal retrieval scheme would be not so easy to organize in the three dimensional disordered configuration, see Ref. [5], and one can use an extremely weak control mode in the read out stage of the protocol to solve the problem and minimize spontaneous losses. In the present report we shall discuss one specific application example where it is not necessary to retrieve the pulse in its original mode and it is only important to provide its effective storage, such that the protocol does not require the light transport throughout the whole sample.…”

Cooperative light scattering on an atomic system with degenerate structure of the ground state

“…One possible solution requires special arrangements for effective light storage in MOT in a diffusion regime; see Ref. [10].…”