Diffraction-less multidimensional light propagation in coherently controlled media

在科学领域，一个长期追求的目标是信息的全光学处理，取代最先进的电子处理。这方面的一个主要障碍是衍射，它限制了光学系统的成像和写入能力以及图像的无损传输。作为一种可能的解决方案，使用成熟的量子光学技术，它表明，专门设计的光场模式可以通过适当制备的介质传播而没有衍射。最近，一种完全不同的方法被提出并得到实验验证，它能够在没有衍射或失真的情况下通过介质传输任意图像。这一令人鼓舞的结果为许多迷人的应用开辟了可能性。本提案旨在探讨这些可能性，并克服现行办法的某些局限性，如吸收能力强。主要目标是：1）发展分析和数值方法，全面模拟多维光在具有空间变化光学特性的介质中的传播，2）研究新的原子模型系统，目的是减少吸收损失和提高透射图像的空间分辨率，3）研究其他相位调制源，这是无衍射传播的关键，特别是基于克尔效应和合作效应，4）探索新的应用，如光束转向和分裂任意图像，5）分析新的参数制度，包括强图像光束和多普勒展宽的现实处理。

A long sought-after goal both in science is the all-optical processing of information, replacing state-of-the-art electronic processing. A major obstacle for this is diffraction, which sets bounds to imaging and writing capabilities of optical systems as well as to the lossless transmission of images. As a possible solution, using mature techniques of quantum optics, it was shown that specifically designed modes of a light field could propagate through a suitably prepared medium without diffraction. Very recently, a fundamentally different approach was proposed and experimentally verified, which is capable of transmitting arbitrary images without diffraction or distortion through a medium. This promising result opens the possibility for many fascinating applications. The present proposal aims at exploring these possibilities, and at overcoming certain limitations of the present schemes such as strong absorption. The main objectives are1) to develop analytical and numerical methods to comprehensively model multidimensional light propagation in media with spatially varying optical properties,2) to study new atomic model systems with the aims of reducing absorption losses and of improving spatial resolution of the transmitted images,3) to study other sources of phase modulation which is the key to diffraction-less propagation, in particular based on the Kerr effect and on cooperative effects,4) to explore novel applications such as beam steering and splitting for arbitrary images,5) to analyze new parameter regimes including intense image beams and a realistic treatment of Doppler broadening.