Work

Weak-value amplification of light deflection by a dark atomic ensemble

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: We study the coherent propagation of light whose dynamics is governed by the effective Schr\"odinger equation derived in a magneto-optically manipulated atomic ensemble with a four-level tripod configuration for electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). The small transverse deflection of an optical beam, which is ultrasensitive to the EIT effect, could be drastically amplified via a weak measurement with an appropriate preselection and postselection of the polarization state. The physical mechanism is explained as the effect of wave-packet reshaping, which results in an enlarged group velocity in the transverse direction.

Source: Physical Review A

DOI: 10.1103/physreva.88.053815

Authors: Lan Zhou, Yusuf Turek, C. P. Sun, Franco Nori