Darrick Chang: "Quantum optics using atomic arrays".

Abstract

Traditional quantum interfaces between atomic ensembles and light have relied upon disordered three-dimensional atomic gases. Recently, however, there have been significant efforts toward exploring whether ordered arrays of atoms can give rise to qualitatively different quantum optical phenomena and functionality, specifically due to strong interference in light emission arising from spatial ordering. Here, we discuss ongoing work to explore this question in two-dimensional arrays, where it has already been experimentally demonstrated that a single 2D layer can act as a near-perfect mirror for weak resonant light. First, we show how such an array can enable novel protocols for quantum technology applications, including a quantum memory and a Rydberg interaction-based photon-photon gate, whose errors versus atom number scale significantly better than the best known protocols for conventional ensembles. We also investigate the optical response of arrays with Rydberg interactions in the strong driving limit. Despite being a complicated many-body, driven dissipative system a priori, we show that the system behavior can be captured well by a semi-classical model based on holes punched in a classical mirror.