Ultralow-power nonlinear optics using optical nanofibers in metastable xenon atoms*

Nonlinear optics (NLO) is a very broad field with applications ranging from frequency conversion and all-optical switching to quantum computing. For many of these applications, the use of low power lasers is desirable. Consequently, there is currently a push for the realization of new physical platforms enabling ultralow-power NLO. We study a promising ultralow-power NLO platform consisting of an optical nanofiber (ONF) suspended in a gas of metastable xenon atoms (Xe*). The origin of strong nonlinearity in this platform is due to the tight confinement of the ONF guided evanescent mode (~1 μm²) over a long distance (~1 cm), and a resonant interaction of the mode with the surrounding atoms. In this talk, I will describe how we develop our experimental “ONF in Xe*” platform, with ONF's having long life, and no degradation of transmission through them. I then will explain the experimental result of ultralow-power (nWs level) saturation effects using the platform.