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Spin–orbit microlaser emitting in a four-dimensional Hilbert space

Author

Listed:
  • Zhifeng Zhang

    (University of Pennsylvania
    University of Pennsylvania)

  • Haoqi Zhao

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Shuang Wu

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Tianwei Wu

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Xingdu Qiao

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Zihe Gao

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Ritesh Agarwal

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Stefano Longhi

    (Politecnico di Milano
    IFISC (UIB-CSIC), Instituto de Fisica Interdisciplinary Sistemas Complejos)

  • Natalia M. Litchinitser

    (Duke University)

  • Li Ge

    (College of Staten Island, CUNY
    The Graduate Center, CUNY)

  • Liang Feng

    (University of Pennsylvania
    University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

A step towards the next generation of high-capacity, noise-resilient communication and computing technologies is a substantial increase in the dimensionality of information space and the synthesis of superposition states on an N-dimensional (N > 2) Hilbert space featuring exotic group symmetries. Despite the rapid development of photonic devices and systems, on-chip information technologies are mostly limited to two-level systems owing to the lack of sufficient reconfigurability to satisfy the stringent requirement for 2(N − 1) degrees of freedom, intrinsically associated with the increase of synthetic dimensionalities. Even with extensive efforts dedicated to recently emerged vector lasers and microcavities for the expansion of dimensionalities1–10, it still remains a challenge to actively tune the diversified, high-dimensional superposition states of light on demand. Here we demonstrate a hyperdimensional, spin–orbit microlaser for chip-scale flexible generation and manipulation of arbitrary four-level states. Two microcavities coupled through a non-Hermitian synthetic gauge field are designed to emit spin–orbit-coupled states of light with six degrees of freedom. The vectorial state of the emitted laser beam in free space can be mapped on a Bloch hypersphere defining an SU(4) symmetry, demonstrating dynamical generation and reconfiguration of high-dimensional superposition states with high fidelity.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhifeng Zhang & Haoqi Zhao & Shuang Wu & Tianwei Wu & Xingdu Qiao & Zihe Gao & Ritesh Agarwal & Stefano Longhi & Natalia M. Litchinitser & Li Ge & Liang Feng, 2022. "Spin–orbit microlaser emitting in a four-dimensional Hilbert space," Nature, Nature, vol. 612(7939), pages 246-251, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:612:y:2022:i:7939:d:10.1038_s41586-022-05339-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05339-z
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    Cited by:

    1. Sihong Lei & Shiqi Xia & Daohong Song & Jingjun Xu & Hrvoje Buljan & Zhigang Chen, 2024. "Optical vortex ladder via Sisyphus pumping of Pseudospin," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Yi-Heng Zhang & Si-Jia Liu & Peng Chen & Dong Zhu & Wen Chen & Shi-Jun Ge & Yu Wang & Zhi-Feng Zhang & Yan-Qing Lu, 2024. "Logical rotation of non-separable states via uniformly self-assembled chiral superstructures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.

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