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Optically induced zener tunneling in one-dimensional lattices
Andrea Fratalocchi1, Gaetano Assanto, Kasia A Brzdakiewicz
1Nonlinear Optics and OptoElectronics Labs, Department of Electronic Engineering and Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Scienze Fisiche della Materia, Università Roma Tre, Via della Vasca Navale 84, 00146, Rome, Italy.
Optics Letters
|March 21, 2006
Summary
We demonstrate a novel method for Landau-Zener tunneling in liquid crystalline waveguides using optical acceleration. This approach enables new possibilities for Floquet-Bloch band tunneling control.
Area of Science:
- Nonlinear optics
- Condensed matter physics
- Photonics
Background:
- Landau-Zener tunneling is a fundamental quantum phenomenon.
- Waveguide arrays offer a platform for simulating quantum dynamics.
- Liquid crystals provide unique optical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Landau-Zener tunneling in liquid crystalline waveguide arrays.
- To demonstrate all-optical control of acceleration for tunneling.
- To explore a novel approach to Floquet-Bloch band tunneling.
Main Methods:
- All-optical impression of acceleration using an additional beam.
- Derivation of the Zener model from governing equations.
- Experimental realization in one-dimensional liquid crystalline waveguide arrays.
Main Results:
- Successful demonstration of Landau-Zener tunneling.
- Effective all-optical control over tunneling dynamics.
- Validation of the derived Zener model.
Conclusions:
- This work presents a new method for controlling quantum tunneling phenomena.
- Liquid crystalline waveguides are a promising platform for optical control of quantum dynamics.
- The developed approach opens avenues for novel photonic devices and quantum simulations.
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