Our lab deals with experimental Quantum Optics. Our main focus is on cavity Quantum-Electrodynamics (QED) with chip based micro-resonators. Cavity-QED involves resonantly confining light to small volume, high-quality resonators, thereby enhancing the electric field of even a single photon to a level that enables coherent interactions with material systems such as single atoms.
Accordingly, our lab includes both an advanced setup for laser-cooling of Rb atoms, and state-of-the-art methods for fabrication of high-Q microtoroid resonators and tapered optical fibers.
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In particular, we are interested in atom-mediated photon-photon interactions.
For example, we are working towards the demonstration of a single-photon “transistor”, where a single photon could switch our atom-cavity system between reflection and transmission. Another aim is achieving quantum non-demolition measurement of a single photon, in which we detect the presence of a single photon by its effect on a super-position state of the atom, without absorbing the photon itself.
The prospect of achieving nonlinear interactions at the low power levels associated with single photons, namely photon-photon interactions, bears a tremendous significance in physics. Beyond the mere technological achievement of controlling light by light, photon-photon interactions are inherently non-classical, enabling the realization of optical quantum logic gates and more.
Another research direction in our lab is harnessing our high-Q microresonators for ultra-sensitive measurements of surface interactions with single molecule and nano-structures.
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Our lab in March 2010
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Our lab in March 2012
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