Ladder-type electromagnetically induced transparency using nanofiber-guided light in a warm atomic vapor

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates ladder-type electromagnetically induced transparency in a warm rubidium vapor using nanofiber-guided light, enabling low-power nonlinear interactions and polarization control despite decoherence challenges.

Contribution

It introduces a novel nanofiber-based EIT system in warm vapor, highlighting the effects of transit-time broadening and achieving significant EIT at microWatt power levels.

Findings

Significant EIT observed at low control powers

Transit-time broadening identified as a key decoherence mechanism

Controlled polarization rotation achieved in warm vapor nanofiber system

Abstract

We demonstrate ladder-type electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) using an optical nanofiber suspended in a warm rubidium vapor. The signal and control fields are both guided along the nanofiber, which enables strong nonlinear interactions with the surrounding atoms at relatively low powers. Transit-time broadening is found to be a significant EIT decoherence mechanism in this tightly-confined waveguiding geometry. Nonetheless, we observe significant EIT and controlled polarization rotation using control-field powers of only a few microWatts in this relatively robust warm-atom nanofiber system.