Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 163603 (2018) - Directional Bistability and Nonreciprocal Lasing with Cold Atoms in a Ring Cavity

Directional Bistability and Nonreciprocal Lasing with Cold Atoms in a Ring Cavity

B. Megyeri, G. Harvie, A. Lampis, and J. Goldwin

Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 163603 – Published 19 October 2018; Erratum Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 159901 (2019)

Abstract

We demonstrate lasing into counterpropagating modes of a ring cavity using a gas of cold atoms as a gain medium. The laser operates under the usual conditions of magneto-optical trapping with no additional fields. We characterize the threshold behavior of the laser and measure the second-order optical coherence. The laser emission exhibits directional bistability, switching randomly between clockwise and counterclockwise modes, and a tunable nonreciprocity is observed as the atoms are displaced along the cavity axis.

Received 6 July 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.163603

© 2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic & molecular processes in external fields Cavity quantum electrodynamics Cold atoms & matter waves Lasers Light-matter interaction Nonlinear optics

Atomic, Molecular & Optical

Erratum

Erratum: Directional Bistability and Nonreciprocal Lasing with Cold Atoms in a Ring Cavity [Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 163603 (2018)]

B. Megyeri, G. Harvie, A. Lampis, and J. Goldwin

Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 159901 (2019)

Authors & Affiliations

B. Megyeri, G. Harvie, A. Lampis, and J. Goldwin^*

School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom

^*Corresponding author. j.m.goldwin@bham.ac.uk

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Supplemental Material (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Issue

Vol. 121, Iss. 16 — 19 October 2018

Reuse & Permissions

Access Options

Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters