Optical Coupling in Atomic Waveguide for Vertically Integrated Photonics.

Area of Science:

• Photonics
• Materials Science
• Quantum Optics

Background:

• Integrated 2D photonic devices offer ultimate thinness and potential for stereo photonic architectures via van der Waals integration.
• Controlling single-atom guided waves within their photonic environment is crucial for integrated systems but remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the optical coupling of atomically guided waves to other photonic modes.
• To probe mode beating in vertically integrated interferometers and understand dispersion relations in atomic waveguides.
• To demonstrate light modulation and spectral detection using these novel compact devices.

Main Methods:

• Direct probing of mode beating between evanescent waves in a monolayer 2D waveguide and a silicon photonic waveguide.
• Utilizing a vertically integrated interferometer to measure optical coupling.
• Characterizing the dispersion relation of guided waves within the atomic waveguide.

Main Results:

• Successfully demonstrated optical coupling between atomically guided waves and photonic modes.
• Measured mode beating, revealing the dispersion relation and strong modification of electronic states within the atomic waveguide.
• Observed the formation of a propagating polariton, indicating strong light-matter interaction.
• Showcased light modulation and spectral detection capabilities in a compact nonplanar interferometer.

Conclusions:

• Established a generalizable and versatile platform for monolithic 3D integrated photonics.
• Provided fundamental insights into the coupling and control of single-atom guided waves.
• Opened new avenues for designing and applying advanced integrated optical systems with enhanced functionalities.