Phase difference induced curved photonic lattice in atomic vapors

As an optical structure characterized by modulations in both transverse and longitudinal directions, the curved photonic lattice has been widely utilized to mimic the behaviors of electrons that are challenging to observe directly. Within the framework of quantum-optical analogies, such a mimicking approach offers additional degrees of freedom for manipulating the dynamics of light. Here, we report the realization of curved photonic lattices in atomic vapors by employing the phase difference in a two-beam interference configuration. The phase difference is introduced via an electro-optic modulator. A weak Gaussian probe field is sent into the curved photonic lattice to image the constructed structure in the context of electromagnetically induced transparency both experimentally and theoretically. In the case of sinusoidal modulation of the phase difference, the transverse oscillation of the output probe pattern is observed clearly, indicating the instantaneous and accurate control of the curved photonic lattice. It is also found that the modulation frequency can play an important role in synthesizing flat bands. This work not only presents a convenient way for producing curved photonic lattices with reconfigurability, but also puts forward a promising platform to investigate quantum-optical analogies in atomic vapors.