Large Kerr nonlinearities on cavity-atom polaritons

Opt Lett. 2010 Feb 1;35(3):303-5. doi: 10.1364/OL.35.000303.

Abstract

I analyze a scheme that is capable of producing large Kerr nonlinearities on cavity-atom polaritons in a cavity quantum electrodynamics system consisting of multiple three-level atoms confined in a cavity mode. A weak control laser coupled to the atoms from free space induces destructive quantum interference in the polariton excitation of the coupled cavity-atom system and creates large Kerr nonlinearities on the intra-cavity light field. The scheme can be used for optical switching or cross-phase modulation of the cavity-atom polariton at ultralow light levels.