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Quantum optics

Spin gives direction

Nature Physics volume 11, pages 9–10 (2015)Cite this article

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Light emitted near an optical waveguide is captured and equally split into two modes with opposite directions of propagation. By controlling the dipole spin of the emitter, it is possible to break this symmetry and select only one direction.

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Figure 1: The light emitted by a localized dipole oscillating at optical frequencies is coupled to an optical waveguide, which is a vacuum-clad fibre in this schematic.
Figure 2: Evanescent field structure for the two modes propagating in opposite directions in the waveguide.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lorenzo Marrucci is in the Physics Department of Università di Napoli Federico II, Compl. Univ. di Monte S. Angelo, via Cintia, 80126 Napoli, Italy,

    Lorenzo Marrucci

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  1. Lorenzo Marrucci
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Correspondence to Lorenzo Marrucci.

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Marrucci, L. Spin gives direction. Nature Phys 11, 9–10 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys3198

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