Cooperative eigenmodes and scattering in one-dimensional atomic arrays

Bettles, Robert J.; Gardiner, Simon A.; Adams, Charles S.

Abstract

Collective coupling between dipoles can dramatically modify the optical response of a medium. Such effects depend strongly on the geometry of the medium and the polarization of the light. Using a classical coupled dipole model, here we investigate the simplest case of one-dimensional arrays of interacting atomic dipoles driven by a weak laser field. Changing the polarization and direction of the driving field allows us to separately address superradiant, subradiant, redshifted, and blueshifted eigenmodes, as well as observe strong Fano-like interferences between different modes. The cooperative eigenvectors can be characterized by the phase difference between nearest-neighbor dipoles, ranging from all oscillating in phase to all oscillating out of phase with their nearest neighbors. Investigating the eigenvalue behavior as a function of atom number and lattice spacing, we find that certain eigenmodes of an infinite atomic chain have the same decay rate as a single atom between two mirrors. The effects we observe provide a framework for collective control of the optical response of a medium, giving insight into the behavior of more complicated geometries, as well as providing further evidence for the dipolar analog of cavity QED.

Citation

Bettles, R. J., Gardiner, S. A., & Adams, C. S. (2016). Cooperative eigenmodes and scattering in one-dimensional atomic arrays. Physical Review A, 94(4), Article 043844. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.94.043844

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 24, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Oct 24, 2016
• Publication Date: Oct 24, 2016
• Deposit Date: Oct 25, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 3, 2016
• Journal: Physical Review A
• Print ISSN: 2469-9926
• Electronic ISSN: 2469-9934
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 94
• Issue: 4
• Article Number: 043844
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.94.043844
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1394898
• Related Public URLs: https://arxiv.org/abs/1607.05016