Single-particle dynamics and interactions of stationary-light polaritons

• Applicant: Dr. Razmik Unanyan
• Subject Area: Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2009 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 133815450

The present project aims to explore the potentials of dark-state polaritons (DSP) to study matter-wave phenomena and many-body physics. We will investigate the different properties of the DSPs in one, two and three spatial dimensions. Possibilities to create spinor DSPs and the influence of light-induced Abelian and non-Abelian gauge potentials on the single and multi-particle dynamics will be analyzed. We will investigate limits of spatial confinement for scalar and spinor DSPs by scalar and gauge potentials. We will analyze conditions for the observability of interesting and unobserved phenomena, present for Dirac particles but absent for free Schrödinger particles such as Zitterbewegung and Klein tunneling. In the second part of the project we will study interactions between DSPs on the mean-field level or in linearization approximation. Of particular interest are nonlinearities due to the interaction of confined DSPs with the atomic system. The formation of vortices in the DSP bose gas in the presence of effective magnetic fields will be investigated. A detailed investigation of interacting spinor DSPs will be made and an implementation of a classical massive Thirring model discussed.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants