************************************ * QUANTUM OPTICS AND ATOM OPTICS * * IN AUSTRALASIA * * * * * * * * MONTHLY NEWSLETTER * * VOL IV, NO 7 * * * CONTENTS: * July 1996 * ________________ * * * ISSN 1325-6467 * 1. ABSTRACTS * * Edited by: Craig Savage 2. CONFERENCES * \ | / * Physics, Faculties, ANU, 3. JOBS (2) * \__|__/ * ACT 0200, Australia. * | * email: Craig.Savage@anu.edu.au Available on WWW at: * | * fax: +61 [(0)6] 249 0741 http://www.anu.edu.au * | * voice: +61 [(0)6] 249 4202 /Physics/newsletter * * ___________________ Please send in abstracts for the next newsletter. ___________________ 1. ABSTRACTS ____________ TITLE: Cascaded second-order nonlinearity in an optical cavity AUTHORS: Andrew G. White, Juergen Mlynek, Stephan Schiller ADDRESS: Fakultaet fuer Physik, Universitaet Konstanz, D-78434 Konstanz, Germany EMAIL: andrew.white@anu.edu.au JOURNAL: Europhysics Letters STATUS: In Press ABSTRACT: Phase-mismatched optical second-harmonic generation in a low-loss external enhancement cavity is used to generate an effective third-order nonlinearity for continuous-wave laser radiation. The threshold for optical bistability is calculated. The cascading effect is demonstrated by detecting bistability of the line shape of a low-loss monolithic MgO:LiNbO3 resonator pumped by a Nd:YAG laser. The simplicity of cascaded chi(2) resonators makes the method particularly promising for quantum optics. ____________ TITLE: QED theory of optical arrangements with electrical feedback AUTHOR: Lev I. Plimak ADDRESS: Department of Physics, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand EMAIL: l.plimak@auckland.ac.nz JOURNAL: Quantum and Semiclassical Optics STATUS: In print ABSTRACT: A rigorous QED theory of electrical-feedback arrangements in optics, based on the Feynman path-integral approach, is presented. It is shown that a feedback arrangement by itself is not capable of producing quantum states of light. For this state of light to appear in the operating loop, the latter should contain at least one device emitting light in a quantum state without feedback. A QED discussion of the Yamamoto- type arrangement with a source of light in a quantum state shows that the conventional corpuscular picture of light fails to describe the properties of the field emitted under the influence of feedback. A possibility of an experimental verification of this conclusion is discussed. ____________ TITLE: Quantum-correlated light from transverse junction stripe laser diodes AUTHORS: Yong-qing Li [1], Paul J. Edwards [1], Peter Lynam [2], and Wood N. Cheung [1] ADDRESS: [1] Advanced Telecommunications Research Centre, Faculty of Information Sciences and Engineering, University of Canberra, P.O. Box 1, Belconnen, ACT 2616, Australia [2] Department of Physics, University College, University of NSW, ADFA, ACT 2600, Australia EMAIL: Liy@ise.canberra.edu.au JOURNAL: International Journal of Optoelectronics STATUS: Accepted ABSTRACT: We report the generation of quantum-correlated light beams emitted from a pair of electrically coupled transverse junction stripe (TJS) laser diodes. We also report the measurement of sub-shot noise ("quiet") light emitted by each of these laser diodes when driven from a high impedance low noise current source. The measured cross-correlation coefficients between the intensity fluctuations in the two beams and the measured noise reduction of 3 dB below the normal shot noise level are both consistent with the measured quantum transfer efficiencies of approximately 50 %. These measurements show that TJS laser diodes provide another method (in addition to the use of optical parametric oscillators and electrically coupled light emitting diodes) for generating twin light beams with intensity difference fluctuations below the normal shot noise level. Potential applications include low noise spectroscopy and interferometry. ____________ TITLE: Stimulation of beta decay due to a bose-einstein condensate AUTHORS: J. Hope, C. Savage ADDRESS: Physics, Faculties, ACT 0200, Australia EMAIL: Joseph.Hope@anu.edu.au JOURNAL: Physics Letters A STATUS: Submitted ABSTRACT: Nuclear processes can be stimulated by the presence of a macroscopic number of bosons in one of the final states. We describe the conditions necessary to observe the atom-stimulation of a beta decay process. The stimulation may be observable if it becomes possible to produce a Bose-Einstein condensate with the order of $10^{14}$ atoms in a trap. Available at: http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/atom-ph/9606007 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 2. CONFERENCES ________________ See web pages for last minute information. Quantum Optics Meeting - Satellite Meeting to IQEC '96 8-9 July 1996 Novotel Palm Cove Resort, Cairns, North Queensland, Australia See: http://www.physics.uq.oz.au:8001/conference/welcome.html Atom Optics Meeting - Satellite Meeting to IQEC '96 9-11 July 1996 See: http://www.anu.edu.au/Physics/Cairns96/ &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& 3. JOBS ________________ 1. THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF SCIENCE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND THEORETICAL PHYSICS Teaching and Research Appointment Lecturer ( Level B ) ( fixed term renewable/continuing ) The Department seeks to appoint a Level B academic to support its teaching and research activities. The applicant will be part of an enthusiastic team of academics who provide a complete undergraduate and graduate teaching program in experimental, theoretical and computational physics for scientists and engineers. We are seeking to employ a staff member with talent for both undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and commitment to attract female students to the study of physics. Applicants must have a PhD in Physics or a related discipline and will carry out research that compliments the existing research interest. The Department has successful and well supported research activities in quantum optics, atom optics, laser diagnostics, hyper velocity flows, nuclear physics and theoretical physics. Applicants will have a significant record of achievement, as indicated by publications and conference contributions, in a field of research compatible with the established activities. They will, either individually or as part of a research team, actively seek funding from external sources. The appointment is renewable with an intial fixed term of five years. Conversion into a continuing position will be negotiated at the end of this initial term. The commencement date is early 1997. Salary:: Lecturer Level B. ( A$ 43602 -- 51777 ) Closing date: 1. October 1996 For current information of the research activities see our home page http://www.anu.edu.au/physics Further information may be obtained from Professor Hans-A. Bachor, Head of Department Department of Physics ANU Tel: 06 249 2747 e-mail: physics.faculties@anu.edu.au ________________ 2. ECOLE NORMALE SUPERIEURE In the framework of the european network 'QSTRUCT', a one-year post-doc position is available from september 1st, 1996 (or later) at the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, in the optical lattices group of Gilbert Grynberg. The main objective of our group in the network is to trap and cool atoms in various arrangements of optical lattices and then study the optical patterns produced using the cold atoms as a nonlinear medium. We are looking for a young experimentalist having some basic knowledge in laser cooling and/or in nonlinear optics. The only official requirement is the european citizenship of the candidate. We would be mostly interested in welcoming one of your students or post-docs, or any european people you could recommend to us and willing to enjoy the charm of the parisian life and the unique atmosphere of the Kastler-Brossel laboratory. Please contact Philippe Verkerk (verkerk@physique.ens.fr) for further details or applications. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&