on Interaction between particles leads to a rich variety of ordered phases of matter, from liquids and solids to antiferromagnets and superfluids. Likewise, interactions between photons can lead to ordered states and phase transitions in the electromagnetic field. While recent experiments have demonstrated Bose-Einstein condensation of photons and exciton-polaritons, theoretical work predicts that strong photon-photon interactions can lead to strongly correlated many-photon states including crystals, fractional quantum Hall states, and Tonks-Girardeau gases. I propose to investigate many-body states of light by implementing strongly interacting photons in a multimode optical resonator. The non-equilibrium nature of interacting photon systems raises the possibility of observing novel phase transitions beyond the reach of equilibrium systems. Meanwhile, many-body states of light offer potential multiphoton sources for quantum information applications.
between particles leads to a rich variety of ordered phases of matter, from liquids and
solids to antiferromagnets and superfluids. Likewise, interactions between photons can lead toordered states and phase transitions in the electromagnetic field. While recent experiments havedemonstrated Bose-Einstein condensation of photons and exciton-polaritons, theoretical workpredicts that strong photon-photon interactions can lead to strongly correlated many-photonstates including crystals, fractional quantum Hall states, and Tonks-Girardeau gases. I propose toinvestigate many-body states of light by implementing strongly interacting photons in amultimode optical resonator. The non-equilibrium nature of interacting photon systems raises thepossibility of observing novel phase transitions beyond the reach of equilibrium systems.Meanwhile, many-body states of light offer potential multiphoton sources for quantuminformation applications.
