Open AccessReconfigurable nonreciprocity with low insertion loss using a simple two-level system
Author(s) -
Yafei Hu,
Shicheng Zhang,
Xinyi Kuang,
Yihong Qi,
Guang Lin,
Shangqing Gong,
Yueping Niu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.409850
Subject(s) - insertion loss , optics , optical isolator , bandwidth (computing) , photonics , realization (probability) , optical switch , magnetic field , photonic crystal , physics , optoelectronics , materials science , computer science , telecommunications , optical fiber , statistics , mathematics , quantum mechanics
Nonreciprocal light propagation is essential to control the direction of the light flow. Here, we report the realization of magnetic-free optical nonreciprocity using a simple two-level system driven by a pump field in warm atoms. In our experiment, we not only demonstrate less than 0.5 dB of insertion loss and up to 20 dB of isolation but also provide flexible and reconfigurable operations of the isolation bandwidth, frequency, and direction. Nonreciprocal scheme with these characteristics may find important applications in photonic devices.