Coherent optical non-reciprocity in axisymmetric resonators

We describe an approach to optical non-reciprocity that exploits the local helicity of evanescent electric fields in axisymmetric resonators. By interfacing an optical cavity to helicity-sensitive transitions, such as Zeeman levels in a quantum dot, light transmission through a waveguide becomes dir...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Optics express 2014-06, Vol.22 (13), p.16099-16111
Main Authors: Lenferink, Erik J, Wei, Guohua, Stern, Nathaniel P
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:We describe an approach to optical non-reciprocity that exploits the local helicity of evanescent electric fields in axisymmetric resonators. By interfacing an optical cavity to helicity-sensitive transitions, such as Zeeman levels in a quantum dot, light transmission through a waveguide becomes direction-dependent when the state degeneracy is lifted. Using a linearized quantum master equation, we analyze the configurations that exhibit non-reciprocity, and we show that reasonable parameters from existing cavity QED experiments are sufficient to demonstrate a coherent non-reciprocal optical isolator operating at the level of a single photon.
ISSN:1094-4087
1094-4087
DOI:10.1364/OE.22.016099