Open AccessHigh visibility first-order subwavelength interference based on light pulse storage via electromagnetically induced transparency
Author(s) -
Zhixiang Li,
Jianji Liu,
Hongming Fan,
Jiachen Liu,
Guoquan Zhang
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
scientific reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.24
H-Index - 213
ISSN - 2045-2322
DOI - 10.1038/s41598-017-02504-7
Subject(s) - electromagnetically induced transparency , interference (communication) , optics , visibility , wavelength , physics , electromagnetically induced grating , light field , optoelectronics , computer science , telecommunications , channel (broadcasting) , holographic grating , diffraction grating
We achieved high visibility first-order subwavelength interference based on light pulse storage and retrieval technique via electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) effect in a Pr 3+ :Y 2 SiO 5 crystal. The interference field distribution of a double-slit was first stored in a Pr 3+ :Y 2 SiO 5 crystal based on EIT effect, and then it was read out by a spatially modulated readout beam. The retrieved output field is proportional to the product of the input interference field of the double-slit and the spatially modulated readout field. High visibility first-order subwavelength interference with an effective wavelength of λ / n , where λ is the wavelength of the input light field and n is any positive integer, can be obtained by designing the spatial modulation structure of the readout field. Experimentally, first-order subwavelength interference with an effective wavelength of λ /3 and a visibility of 67% were demonstrated. Such first-order subwavelength interference has important applications on high resolution optical lithography.