Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity

A Camara, Robin Kaiser, G. Labeyrie, William Firth, Gian-Luca Oppo, Gordon Robb, Aidan Arnold, Thorsten Ackemann

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of spontaneous pattern formation in the transverse section of a single retro-reflected laser beam passing through a cloud of cold Rubidium atoms. In contrast to previously investigated systems, the nonlinearity at work here is that of a 2-level atom, which realizes the paradigmatic situation considered in many theoretical studies of optical pattern formation. In particular, we are able to observe the disappearance of the patterns at high intensity due to the intrinsic saturable character of 2-level atomic transitions.
LanguageEnglish
JournalPhysical Review A
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 2015

Fingerprint

nonlinearity
rubidium
atoms
laser beams

Keywords

  • spontaneous pattern forming
  • retro reflected laser beams
  • optical pattern formation
  • atomic transitions

Cite this

Camara, A ; Kaiser, Robin ; Labeyrie, G. ; Firth, William ; Oppo, Gian-Luca ; Robb, Gordon ; Arnold, Aidan ; Ackemann, Thorsten. / Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity. In: Physical Review A. 2015.
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title = "Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity",
abstract = "We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of spontaneous pattern formation in the transverse section of a single retro-reflected laser beam passing through a cloud of cold Rubidium atoms. In contrast to previously investigated systems, the nonlinearity at work here is that of a 2-level atom, which realizes the paradigmatic situation considered in many theoretical studies of optical pattern formation. In particular, we are able to observe the disappearance of the patterns at high intensity due to the intrinsic saturable character of 2-level atomic transitions.",
keywords = "spontaneous pattern forming, retro reflected laser beams, optical pattern formation, atomic transitions",
author = "A Camara and Robin Kaiser and G. Labeyrie and William Firth and Gian-Luca Oppo and Gordon Robb and Aidan Arnold and Thorsten Ackemann",
note = "Date of Accepted: 20/06/2015",
year = "2015",
language = "English",
journal = "Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics",
issn = "1050-2947",

}

Camara, A, Kaiser, R, Labeyrie, G, Firth, W, Oppo, G-L, Robb, G, Arnold, A & Ackemann, T 2015, 'Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity' Physical Review A.

Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity. / Camara, A; Kaiser, Robin; Labeyrie, G.; Firth, William; Oppo, Gian-Luca; Robb, Gordon; Arnold, Aidan; Ackemann, Thorsten.

In: Physical Review A, 2015.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity

AU - Camara, A

AU - Kaiser, Robin

AU - Labeyrie, G.

AU - Firth, William

AU - Oppo, Gian-Luca

AU - Robb, Gordon

AU - Arnold, Aidan

AU - Ackemann, Thorsten

N1 - Date of Accepted: 20/06/2015

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of spontaneous pattern formation in the transverse section of a single retro-reflected laser beam passing through a cloud of cold Rubidium atoms. In contrast to previously investigated systems, the nonlinearity at work here is that of a 2-level atom, which realizes the paradigmatic situation considered in many theoretical studies of optical pattern formation. In particular, we are able to observe the disappearance of the patterns at high intensity due to the intrinsic saturable character of 2-level atomic transitions.

AB - We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of spontaneous pattern formation in the transverse section of a single retro-reflected laser beam passing through a cloud of cold Rubidium atoms. In contrast to previously investigated systems, the nonlinearity at work here is that of a 2-level atom, which realizes the paradigmatic situation considered in many theoretical studies of optical pattern formation. In particular, we are able to observe the disappearance of the patterns at high intensity due to the intrinsic saturable character of 2-level atomic transitions.

KW - spontaneous pattern forming

KW - retro reflected laser beams

KW - optical pattern formation

KW - atomic transitions

UR - http://journals.aps.org/pra/issues

M3 - Article

JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

T2 - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

SN - 1050-2947

ER -

Camara A, Kaiser R, Labeyrie G, Firth W, Oppo G-L, Robb G et al. Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity. Physical Review A. 2015.

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