We perform a high-resolution Fourier transform spectroscopy of optical sources in the few-photon regime based on the phenomenon of two-photon interference in a beam splitter. From the heterodyne interferogram, between test and reference sources, it is possible to obtain the spectrum of the test source relative to that of the reference. The method proves to be a useful asset for spectral charact...

We report on the first direct experimental demonstration of a collective phenomenon in metamaterials: spectral line collapse with an increasing number of unit cell resonators (metamolecules). This effect, which is crucial for achieving a lasing spaser, a coherent source of optical radiation fuelled by coherent plasmonic oscillations in metamaterials, is linked to the suppression of radiation lo...

We present the nonlinearity and dispersion effects involved in the propagation of optical solitons which can be understood by using a numerical routine to solve the generalized nonlinear paraxial equation. A sequence of code has been developed in Mathematica to explore in depth several features of the optical soliton’s formation and propagation. These numerical routines were implemented through...

We report on the phenomenon of controllable soliton dragging by dynamic optical lattices induced by three imbalanced interfering plane waves. Because of such an imbalance, the transverse momentum of the lattice does not vanish, and thus the dynamic lattice can cause soliton dragging. The dragging rate is shown to depend on the amplitude and on the angle of incidence of the third plane wave maki...

We present a novel type of three-dimensional dark focus optical trapping potential for ultracold atoms and Bose-Einstein condensates. This ‘optical bottle’ is created with blue-detuned laser light exploiting the phenomenon of conical refraction occurring in biaxial crystals. We present experiments on confining a Rb Bose-Einstein condensate in this potential and derive the trapping frequencies a...

Small ensembles of In0.55Al0.45As self-assembled quantum dots have been studied at low temperatures using near-field scanning optical microscopy. We observe spectral diffusion in individual quantum dot luminescence lines. The phenomenon increases in magnitude with optical power density, but is not visible at low powers. We believe the spectral diffusion to be caused by long time-scale trapping ...

We have experimentally observed a “backward” (clockwise rotating) hysteresis cycle in the system of an optical ring cavity containing three-level (L-type configuration) rubidium atoms. The shape and direction of the observed hysteresis cycles can be easily controlled with experimental parameters. Such an interesting phenomenon is caused by the greatly modified absorption, dispersion, and nonlin...

In interphase plant cells, the actin cytoskeleton is essential for intracellular transport and organization. To fully understand how the actin cytoskeleton functions as the structural basis for cytoplasmic organization, both molecular and physical aspects of the actin organization have to be considered. In the present review, we discuss literature that gives an insight into how cytoplasmic orga...

Supercontinuum (SC) is generated experimentally in nonlinear microstructured optical fibers (MOFs) which are designed and fabricated by stack and draw process. Effects of different drawing parameters on the MOF structures are studied and high air filling fraction is achieved by optimizing the drawing parameters. Different aspects of SC generation process is theoretically modeled and compared wi...

A tightly focused beam of light can attract and trap micron-sized dielectric particles whose refractive index exceeds that of the surrounding medium. Although single-beam optical traps were developed only in 1986, they have already proven their worth in making possible an increasing number of experiments. Optical traps have found particular use in biophysics, where they allow one to manipulate ...