[Seminar] Dr Novikova 'Spatial Mode Structure of Atom-Generated Squeezed Vacuum'

Speaker:
Associate Professor Irina Novikova
The College of William and Mary, USA

Seminar Title:
Spatial Mode Structure of Atom-Generated Squeezed Vacuum

Abstract:
We study the spatial mode structure in the squeezed vacuum produced via polarization self-rotation interaction of an ensemble of Rb atoms and a strong linearly polarized laser field. In particular, we show that to accurately predict the measured quadrature noise of the output squeezed vacuum field, the analysis must include several higher-order spatial modes. The quantum fluctuations for each such mode may be independently modified by the interaction with atoms, thus affecting the overall detected quadrature noise and potentially limiting the available amount of squeezing. We also investigate the role of the optical depth of the atomic medium.