Abstract

We report on a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of optical memory that allows for the amplification of the optical signal carrying the stored information during its reading process. The memory mechanism is demonstrated in an ensemble of cold cesium atoms and is based on the multiple parametric four-wave mixing exploring the external atomic degrees of freedom via recoil-induced resonances. We have particularly demonstrated the storage of light carrying orbital angular momentum with a fourfold amplifying factor for the retrieved signal during the reading process. Memory lifetimes of the order of hundreds of microseconds have been measured, and possible applications for this self-amplifying memory are discussed.

© 2020 Optical Society of America

Storage of orbital angular momenta of light via coherent population oscillation

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Nonlinear optical memory for manipulation of orbital angular momentum of light

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