Pavel Kolchin

Electro-optic Modulation of Single Photons

We use the Stokes photon of a biphoton pair to set the time origin for electro-optic modulation of the wave function of the anti-Stokes photon thereby allowing arbitrary phase and amplitude modulation. We demonstrate conditional single-photon wave functions composed of several pulses, or instead, having Gaussian or exponential shapes.

Strongly enhanced molecular fluorescence inside a nanoscale waveguide gap.

We experimentally demonstrate dramatically enhanced light-matter interaction for molecules placed inside the nanometer scale gap of a plasmonic waveguide. We observe spontaneous emission rate enhancements of up to about 60 times due to strong optical localization in two dimensions. This rate enhancement is a nonresonant nature of the plasmonic waveguide under study overcoming the fundamental bandwidth limitation of conventional devices. Moreover, we show that about 85% of molecular emission couples into the waveguide highlighting the dominance of the nanoscale optical mode in competing with quenching processes. Such optics at molecular length scales paves the way toward integrated on-chip photon source, rapid transfer of quantum information, and efficient light extraction for solid-state-lighting devices.

Observation of optical precursors at the biphoton level

We describe the observation of a sharp leading-edge spike in a biphoton wave packet that is produced using slow light and measured by two-photon correlation. Using the stationary-phase approximation we characterize this spike as a Sommerfeld-Brillouin precursor resulting from the interference of low- and high-frequency spectral components.

High Purcell Factor Due To Coupling of a Single Emitter to a Dielectric Slot Waveguide

We demonstrate an all-dielectric quantum electrodynamical nanowire-slab system with a single emitter that concentrates the extremely intense light at the scale of 10 × 75 nm(2). The quantum dot exhibits a record high 31-fold spontaneous decay rate enhancement, its optical saturation and blinking are strongly suppressed, and 80% of emission couples into a waveguide mode.

Correction to High purcell factor due to coupling of a single emitter to a dielectric slot waveguide.

We demonstrate an all-dielectric quantum electrodynamical nanowire-slab system with a single emitter that concentrates the extremely intense light at the scale of 10 × 75 nm. The quantum dot exhibits a record high 31-fold spontaneous decay rate enhancement, its optical saturation and blinking are strongly suppressed, and 80% of emission couples into a waveguide mode.

Single-emitter quantum electrodynamics in a one-dimensional dielectric continuum far beyond the diffraction limit

We demonstrate a single emitter all-dielectric QED system that concentrates light at nanometer scale. The emitter exhibits a record high 31-fold emission enhancement with strongly suppressed blinking. 80% of emission couples into a waveguide mode.

Coupling molecular photoluminescence into deep sub-wavelength plasmon waveguides

We demonstrate Purcell enhancement of spontaneous decay rate up to 60 times and luminescence intensity up to five-fold from dye molecules strongly coupled to a non-resonant deep-subwavelength metal-dielectric hybrid plasmon waveguide.

Strong interaction of distinct single photons via a single atom in a waveguide

We propose a waveguide QED scheme where distinct single photons interact strongly at a ladder or V-type atom. When both atomic transitions are strongly coupled to the waveguide, photon tunneling and a π phase shift is induced by another distinct photon.

Generation of biphotons with controllable temporal length

We report the generation of time-energy entangled paired photons with subnatural linewidths and controllable temporal lengths. The photons are generated using EIT and slow light in a high optical depth two-dimensional MOT.

Measurement of biphoton wavefunctions using fast amplitude modulators

We demonstrate a proof-of-principle experimental realization of a novel technique that uses fast amplitude modulators to measure biphoton waveforms whose temporal lengths are shorter than the resolution time of present single photon counting modules.