Anomalous diffraction of matter waves with minimal quantum metasurfaces (original) (raw)

Tunable refraction in a two dimensional quantum metamaterial

2012

In this paper we consider a two-dimensional metamaterial comprising an array of qubits (two level quantum objects). Here we show that a two-dimensional quantum metamaterial may be controlled, e.g. via the application of a magnetic flux, so as to provide controllable refraction of an input signal. Our results are consistent with a material that could be quantum birefringent (beam splitter) or not dependent on the application of this control parameter. We note that quantum metamaterials as proposed here may be fabricated from a variety of current candidate technologies from superconducting qubits to quantum dots. Thus the ideas proposed in this work would be readily testable in existing state of the art laboratories. 78.67.Pt,81.05.Xj,03.65.Yz, Quantum metamaterials, i.e., artificial optical media, which maintain quantum coherence over the signal traversal time, hold promise of becoming a testing ground for the investigation of the quantum-classical transition, interesting new phenomena in wave propagation, and unusual technological applications . With strong analogies existing between atomic physics, quantum optics and superconducting systems it is natural to seek technologies that span these fields . Solid state quantum metamaterials is one such class of devices where such parallels can be leveraged to great utility. Indeed, emphasising such a synergy, the implementation of a quantum metamaterial in the optical range is feasible . In our view, the experimental realisation of the concept is likely to be achieved first in the microwave range, as was the case with conventional metamaterials . We believe that the best candidate system system would comprise superconducting qubits playing the role of controllable artificial atoms. This view is supported by the ability of superconducting flux qubits to play the role of quantum scatterers -a phenomena that has been both theoretically modelled and experimentally observed [8-10].

Quantum Metamaterials: Applications in quantum information science

2020

Metamaterials are artificially engineered periodic structures with exceptional optical properties that are not found in conventional materials. However, this definition of metamaterials can be extended if we introduce a quantum degree of freedom by adding some quantum elements (e.g quantum dots, cold atoms, Josephson junctions, molecules). Quantum metamaterials can then be defined as artificially engineered nanostructures made up of quantum elements. Furthermore, they exhibit controllable quantum states, maintain quantum coherence for times much higher than the transversal time of the electromagnetic signal. Metamaterials have been used to realised invisibility cloaking, super-resolution, energy harvesting, and sensing. Most of these applications are performed in the classical regime. Of recent, metamaterials have gradually found their way into the quantum regime, particularly to quantum sensing and quantum information processing. The use of quantum metamaterials for quantum informa...

A quantum way for metamaterials

2011

A new future for metamaterials is suggested, involving the insertion of quantum degrees of freedom, under the guise of quantum dots or cold atoms, in an photonic matrix. It is argued that new emergent, quantum, properties could be obtained.

Quantum optical effective-medium theory and transformation quantum optics for metamaterials

Metamaterials, Metadevices, and Metasystems 2016, 2016

While typically designed to manipulate classical light, metamaterials have many potential applications for quantum optics as well. We argue why a quantum optical effective-medium theory is needed. We present such a theory for layered metamaterials that is valid for light propagation in all spatial directions, thereby generalizing earlier work for one-dimensional propagation. In contrast to classical effective-medium theory there is an additional effective parameter that describes quantum noise. Our results for metamaterials are based on a rather general Lagrangian theory for the quantum electrodynamics of media with both loss and gain. In the second part of this paper, we present a new application of transformation optics whereby local spontaneous-emission rates of quantum emitters can be designed. This follows from an analysis how electromagnetic Green functions transform under coordinate transformations. Spontaneous-emission rates can be either enhanced or suppressed using invisibility cloaks or gradient index lenses. Furthermore, the anisotropic material profile of the cloak enables the directional control of spontaneous emission.

Achieving Anomalous Refraction with Metasurfaces Composed by Two Ordinary Dielectric Materials

2018 12th International Congress on Artificial Materials for Novel Wave Phenomena (Metamaterials), 2018

The optimal parameters of a dielectric metasurface, composed of two alternating rectangular rods, are investigated so that it exhibits significant enhancement in the −1diffracted order in the transmission region. An efficient integral-equation methodology is used for the numerical computations. Representative results of initial optimizations are presented.

Subwavelength imaging with quantum metamaterials

Physical Review B, 2012

We study the potential of a novel "quantum metamaterial" for subwavelength imaging applications in the midinfrared. Because the layers that comprise the metamaterial have in-plane and out-of-plane dielectric responses that are determined by different physical mechanisms (Drude free electron response and quantized electronic transitions, respectively), their resonances are polarization sensitive and can be designed independently. The result is a negatively refracting anisotropic effective medium with losses, described by the figure of merit, FOM = Re(k ⊥)/Im(k ⊥) ∼ 200 (k ⊥ is the wave vector), that are significantly lower than metamaterials based on classical layered systems. We find that, with sample design parameters that are realistically achievable with conventional epitaxy technologies, it is possible to obtain negative refraction for all incident angles, and finite element modeling studies indicate that these structures can function as so-called "hyperlenses," offering low-loss ∼λ/13 spatial resolution at mid-IR wavelengths of λ ∼ 10 μm.

Metamaterials with Quantum Gain

Science, 2013

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Quantum metamaterials in the microwave and optical ranges

EPJ Quantum Technology, 2016

Quantum metamaterials generalize the concept of metamaterials (artificial optical media) to the case when their optical properties are determined by the interplay of quantum effects in the constituent 'artificial atoms' with the electromagnetic field modes in the system. The theoretical investigation of these structures demonstrated that a number of new effects (such as quantum birefringence, strongly nonclassical states of light, etc) are to be expected, prompting the efforts on their fabrication and experimental investigation. Here we provide a summary of the principal features of quantum metamaterials and review the current state of research in this quickly developing field, which bridges quantum optics, quantum condensed matter theory and quantum information processing. Contents

Quantum Optical Effective-Medium Theory for Layered Metamaterials at Any Angle of Incidence

Nanomaterials

The quantum optics of metamaterials starts with the question of whether the same effective-medium theories apply as in classical optics. In general, the answer is negative. For active plasmonics but also for some passive metamaterials, we show that an additional effective-medium parameter is indispensable besides the effective index, namely, the effective noise-photon distribution. Only with the extra parameter can one predict how well the quantumness of states of light is preserved in the metamaterial. The fact that the effective index alone is not always sufficient and that one additional effective parameter suffices in the quantum optics of metamaterials is both of fundamental and practical interest. Here, from a Lagrangian description of the quantum electrodynamics of media with both linear gain and loss, we compute the effective noise-photon distribution for quantum light propagation in arbitrary directions in layered metamaterials, thereby detailing and generalizing our previo...

Implementing Quantum Search Algorithm with Metamaterials

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.), 2017

Metamaterials, artificially structured electromagnetic (EM) materials, have enabled the realization of many unconventional EM properties not found in nature, such as negative refractive index, magnetic response, invisibility cloaking, and so on. Based on these man-made materials with novel EM properties, various devices are designed and realized. However, quantum analog devices based on metamaterials have not been achieved so far. Here, metamaterials are designed and printed to perform quantum search algorithm. The structures, comprising of an array of 2D subwavelength air holes with different radii perforated on the dielectric layer, are fabricated using a 3D-printing technique. When an incident wave enters in the designed metamaterials, the profile of beam wavefront is processed iteratively as it propagates through the metamaterial periodically. After ≈N roundtrips, precisely the same as the efficiency of quantum search algorithm, searched items will be found with the incident wav...