Guillaume Lepert

Arrays of waveguide-coupled optical cavities that interact strongly with atoms

We describe a realistic scheme for coupling atoms or other quantum emitters with an array of coupled optical cavities. We consider open Fabry–Perot microcavities coupled to the emitters. Our central innovation is to connect the microcavities to waveguide resonators, which are in turn evanescently coupled to each other on a photonic chip to form a coupled cavity chain. In this paper, we describe the components, their technical limitations and the factors that need to be determined experimentally. This provides the basis for a detailed theoretical analysis of two possible experiments to realize quantum squeezing and controlled quantum dynamics. We close with an outline of more advanced applications.

Elastic suppression in Brillouin imaging by destructive interference

Brillouin microscopy is an emerging technique to yield high spatial resolution mechanical images in a non-contact manner. The main challenge in Brillouin spectroscopy is given by the detection and the localisation of the Brillouin peaks, in particular, when a high amount of elastic light is collected. We demonstrate a purely interferometric method to suppress the parasitic light which overwhelms the Brillouin spectrum using destructive interference in a Michelson interferometer. A suppression ratio of 35 dB is readily achieved. Both double and single stage virtually imaged phased array spectrometers are tested showing that the Brillouin peaks can still be measured when the intensity of the elastic light is higher by 53 dB, hence, enabling 3D mechanical imaging of thin biological systems such as cells.

Demonstration of UV-written waveguides, Bragg gratings and cavities at 780 nm, and an original experimental measurement of group delay

We present direct UV-written waveguides and Bragg gratings operating at 780 nm. By combining two gratings into a Fabry-Perot cavity we have devised and implemented a novel and practical method of measuring the group delay of Bragg gratings.

Elementary array of Fabry-Pérot waveguide resonators with tunable coupling

We recently proposed that an array of optical cavities containing quantum emitters could be interconnected by an optical bus made of Fabry Perot resonators lying side by side, for applications in quantum information processing and quantum simulation. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of this geometry. We show that the resonators can be conveniently coupled, and that the coupling rate between adjacent waveguides can be widely tuned using the thermo-optic effect. The device is linearly scalable and can be combined with other integrated devices, making it more generally applicable as an adjustable optical delay line or optical interconnect.

Single dipole evanescently coupled to a multimode waveguide

We consider a single dipole evanescently coupled to a cylindrical multimode waveguide. The emission rate into the waveguide is calculated as a function of the waveguide diameter and the dipole orientations, and the result is confirmed by finite-difference-time-domain simulations. We show that as the guide radius increases, the coupling to a given mode decreases but new decay channels to higher order modes open up to increase the density of states. This study gives insight for designing waveguide-based single photon sources that exploit superposition of transverse modes.

Gamma-irradiated human amniotic membrane decellularised with sodium dodecyl sulfate is a more efficient substrate for the ex vivo expansion of limbal stem cells

Graphical abstract

Modulation of corneal tissue mechanics influences epithelial cell phenotype

Whilst the control of stem cell differentiation using substrates of differing compliance has been extensively explored in vitro, the significance of this mechanism at a physiological level is not known. Here we set to explore the role of corneal surface biomechanics in controlling epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation. Using non-contact high-resolution Brillouin spectro-microscopy we showed that the corneal outer edge (limbus) has significantly lower bulk modulus compared to the central cornea, and that this difference is precisely delimited in the organ. Furthermore, the areas of the limbus with distinctly softer properties were shown to be associated with limbal epithelial stem cell (LESC) residence. Based on these findings, we then provided the first demonstration of the capacity to modulate LESC phenotype, both in vivo and ex vivo, solely through the recreation/restoration of suitable biomechanical niches. These results thus confirm the fundamental role of corneal biomechanics in directing epithelial stem cell behavior.

Integrated optics for coupled-cavity QED

We present an array of Fabry-Perot free space microcavities, intended to contain atoms or other quantum emitters, coupled to each other by waveguides resonators on a chip. The concept is highly scalable and offers a unique degree of control, making it a promising platform for quantum simulations. We demonstrate experimentally the basic units of the device.