Abstract
We describe an approach to optical non-reciprocity that exploits the local helicity of evanescent electric fields in axisymmetric resonators. By interfacing an optical cavity to helicity-sensitive transitions, such as Zeeman levels in a quantum dot, light transmission through a waveguide becomes direction-dependent when the state degeneracy is lifted. Using a linearized quantum master equation, we analyze the configurations that exhibit non-reciprocity, and we show that reasonable parameters from existing cavity QED experiments are sufficient to demonstrate a coherent non-reciprocal optical isolator operating at the level of a single photon.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 16099-16111 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Optics Express |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 13 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 30 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics