Exploring Optical Nanofibers for Atom-Photon Hybrid Quantum Systems: Chirality Effects and Optical Forces

Abstract

Recent advancements have revealed the growing effectiveness of optical nanofibers in enabling the implementation of atom-photon hybrid quantum systems. These nanofibers serve as non-intrusive tools for probing cold atoms, offering a unique approach to circumvent the limitations imposed by the Rayleigh domain, thereby achieving increased intensities in a beam of light over long distances. This study investigates the interaction between the atom and light, focusing on the dipole transition in sodium atoms near a nanofiber. Notably, we uncover the influence of the direction of light propagation, known as the optical chirality effect, on the spatial distribution of the steady-state density matrix elements. Furthermore, we examine the optical forces acting on a two-level atom during the 3 2 S 1/2 →3 2 P 3/2 transition in sodium. Our findings demonstrate that optical chirality’s effect significantly impacts the magnitude of these optical forces. The concept of optical chirality holds great promise for advancing technology and enhancing our understanding of atomic behavior. The numerical results presented in this work are based on experimental parameters within a realistic range.