An efficient all-optical switch using a lambda atom in a cavity QED system

TL;DR

This paper introduces an all-optical switch using a lambda atom in a cavity QED system, enabling control of light transmission with minimal power and potential for set-reset relay operation.

Contribution

It presents a novel all-optical switch design utilizing a three-state lambda atom in a cavity, achieving high contrast with low control power and versatile operation modes.

Findings

Control drive with one-tenth the power of the signal can induce near complete reflection.

The switch can be operated as a set-reset relay with two control inputs.

The setup allows for efficient, incoherent control of light transmission.

Abstract

We propose an all-optical switch constructed from a two-mode optical resonator containing a strongly coupled, three-state system. The coupling allows a weak, continuous wave laser drive to incoherently control the transmission of a much stronger, continuous wave signal laser into (and through) the resonator. We demonstrate that in this simple setup the presence of a control drive with one tenth the power of the signal drive can induce near complete reflection of the signal, while its absence allows for near complete transmission. The switch can also be operated as a set-reset relay with two control inputs that efficiently drive the switch into either the reflecting or the transmitting state.