You are invited to attend a lecture
Nano-spectroscopy in coupled atomic-photonic chip-scale systems
By
Liron Stern
PhD student of
Professor Uriel Levy
Applied Physics Department, Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The interaction of light with atomic vapors such as rubidium is being used extensively both in research and industry in a myriad of disciplines and applications. Notable examples include the precision of atomic clocks, the incredible reduction of speed of light, the ability to control light with another source of light, and the ability to measure minute magnetic fields with magnetometers. In traditional light-vapor experiments, vapor is enclosed in glass blown cells, and irradiated by a light source in free space. Recently, we are witnessing an ongoing effort towards the miniaturization of vapor cells and the accompanied optical systems in order to enable enhanced and efficient light-matter interactions, where a prominent effort is to facilitate the interaction of guided light with vapors.
In this talk, I will present our platform of atomic cladding plasmonic and photonic wave-guides. Specifically, I will describe two different types of nano-scale light vapor spectroscopic configurations. The first consists of a solid core silicon-nitride waveguide, interacting evanescently with rubidium vapor, offering an interaction volume orders of magnitude smaller than traditional cells. I shall present linear and non-linear spectroscopy using this platform, and the different broadening mechanisms unique to this device. Furthermore, it will be shown that due to the nano-scale confinement of light, the rubidium absorption saturates at an extremely low optical power rendering this device highly appealing for non-linear applications such as all-optical switching. Experimental results utilizing resonant structures such as atomic cladding micro ring resonators will also be presented. The second platform, is the plasmonic-atomic hybrid integrated system consisting of rubidium vapor integrated on a thin layer (~50nm) of gold supporting nanoscale confined plasmon modes. Introducing plasmonics into the world of atomic physics allows confining electromagnetic radiation to the deep nanoscale and dramatic enhancement of light-matter interactions. Using this apparatus we demonstrated the resonant coupling of plasmonic and atomic systems, and tailored this coupling to drastically modify the transmission in form of Fano resonances. Furthermore, it became possible to study fundamental effects such as controlling the selection rules of atomic transitions. I shall conclude with discussing the difference prospects of such devices for applications such as frequency referencing and all optical few photon switching.
Thursday, July 7, 2016, at 15:00
Room 011, Kitot Building
