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. 2025 Aug 17;15:30142. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-15201-7

Manipulation of the photonic spin hall shift using the four levels atomic system

Qaisar Khan 1,, Ibrahim Al-Dayel 2, Meraj Ali Khan 2, Majid Khan 1
PMCID: PMC12358595  PMID: 40820042

Abstract

This study explores the coherent control of the photonic spin hall shift through a configuration involving a four-levels dielectric medium. The probe beam engages with a cavity containing a four-level dielectric medium. By adjusting the parameters of the driving fields, the photonic spin shift can be controlled to exhibit either positive or negative values. The maximum values of the spin hall shift is in the range of Inline graphic with the incidence angle (Inline graphic= 1.2 radian and 3 radian ) and the minimum values is reported as Inline graphic against the probe field detuning (Inline graphic and Inline graphic). The results hold significant potential for use in fields like sensing devices, spin-based electronics, magnetic storage and quantum information processing.

Keywords: Spin hall shift, dielectric medium, driving fields

Subject terms: Optics and photonics, Physics

Introduction

Photonic spin hall effect (PSHE) takes place, when an electric current flowing through a material generates a perpendicular spin current due to the interaction between spin and orbital motion. This process leads to the buildup of spins oriented in opposite directions on either sides of the material1. The spin-orbit interaction causes differences in the transverse forces acting on particles with spin-up and spin-down states, while they move through the electronic potential. This leads to a transverse displacement of the particles, referred to as the PSHE2. In PSHE, right circularly polarized and left circularly polarized components function similarly to spin-up and spin-down electrons. When interacting with the interface of a coherent medium, the left circularly polarized and the right circularly polarized photons undergo distinct shifts perpendicular to the plane of incidence as a result of spin orbit interaction3. The PSHE arises from the spin-orbit coupling of light, which causes a tiny lateral shift, effectively splitting the reflected light into two circularly polarized components. When linearly polarized light interacts with an interface, it can be considered as a superposition of right circularly polarized (RCP) and left circularly polarized (LCP) waves, each experiencing a spin-dependent separation during reflection4,5. Researchers have extensively investigated the PSHE in condensed matter systems, including semiconductors6, graphene7, topological insulators8. Among the various methods for generating and controlling spin currents, the PSHE has established a significant role since it was first identified ten years ago9,10.

Dyakonov11,12 was initially proposed the PSHE, which refers to the coupling of charge and spin currents as a result of spin-orbit interaction. The term “PSHE” was introduced by Hirsch in 1999, it is quite comparable to the typical Hall effect. where charges of differing signs gather at the edges of the sample as a result of the Lorentz force in a magnetic field. The experimental evidence was gathered later, starting with the detection of the inverse spin Hall effect, which was followed by the observation of the direct PSHE in 2003. The first experiments in this area were carried out by Fleisher’s group at the Ioffe Institute in Saint Petersburg, resulting in the initial observation of what is now known as the inverse PSHE13. The PSHE remained unobserved for 33 years until it was finally detected by two research teams in Santa Barbara, California, and Cambridge, England. These findings generated significant excitement and led to a surge of both experimental and theoretical research, resulting in hundreds of published papers14,15. This effect was investigated by Bakun and colleagues, marking the first experimental confirmation of the inverse PSHE16. In a subsequent study, Tkachuk17 noted distinct indications of nuclear magnetic resonance in the surface current. Yin18 demonstrated a large PSHE using a metasurface, a rapidly changing phase across the metasurface deflects light and a simultaneous geometric polarization rotation maintains polarization perpendicular to the new propagation direction. This geometric rotation, arising from spin-orbit interaction, results in a spin-dependent splitting of the light. In the PSHE, an electric current flowing through a material exhibiting relativistic spin-orbit coupling can produce a transverse pure spin current that is polarized orthogonally to the plane formed by the charge and spin currents. The inverse spin hall effect (ISHE) refers to the phenomenon where a pure spin current passing through a material produces a transverse charge current. The PSHE is based on the well-established anomalous hall effect (AHE), where relativistic spin-orbit coupling causes an asymmetric deviation of charge carriers based on their spin orientation19.

This study investigates the dynamics of the photonic spin Hall shift (PSHS) within a dielectric medium having four-level N-type atomic system. The results indicate that the orientation of the PSHS can be controlled to produce either beneficial or detrimental changes by adjusting the properties of the applied driving fields. Furthermore, the peak strength of the PSHS is determined by changing the angle at which light strikes the medium.

Theory and dynamics

The two layers 1,3 in atomic model consists of a mirrors having dielectric function Inline graphic and layer 2 is four level dielectric medium having dielectric function Inline graphic. The thickness of mirrors is represented by Inline graphic, whereas the intracavity atomic mediums have a thickness of Inline graphic as demonstrated in Fig. 1a. The dielectric medium consists of a four-level configuration having probe field Inline graphic and the control fields Inline graphic, as illustrated in Fig. 1b.

Figure 1.

Figure 1

(a) A schematic arrangement features a coherent dielectric material positioned between two mirrors. Upon encountering the mirror surfaces, the incident light experiences a spin-dependent separation. (b) Shows a four-level atomic system influenced a probe beam and two control beams.

The unperturbed Hamiltonian is expressed as

graphic file with name d33e338.gif 1

The modified Hamiltonian of the dielectric material is20,21.

graphic file with name d33e352.gif 2

The density matrix method is employed to evaluate the coherence aspect of the probe field22.

graphic file with name d33e363.gif 3

where Inline graphic( Inline graphic) denotes the creation (annihilation) operator associated with decay processes23 and indicates the decay rates between different atomic states. The steady-state coherence solution for the probe field is outlined below.

graphic file with name d33e387.gif 4

where Inline graphic are given as:

graphic file with name d33e400.gif 5
graphic file with name d33e407.gif 6
graphic file with name d33e413.gif 7
graphic file with name d33e419.gif 8

The susceptibility of the dielectric medium is Inline graphic. Here N is atomic number density, Inline graphic is dipole moments, Inline graphic is probe field coherence. The dielectric susceptibility is expressed as24

graphic file with name d33e448.gif 9

The permittivity of the dielectric medium is Inline graphic. The light beam approaches the cavity situated between the mirrors at an incident angle Inline graphic from the vacuum. The light can either reflect or transmit through the structure. As shown in Fig. 1a, The incoming beam’s left and right handed circular polarization components are separated spatially along a direction perpendicular to the plane of incidence. This lateral shift, referred to as the Photonic Spin hall Effect (PSHS), is an optical phenomenon influenced by polarization, resulting in photons with opposite helicities diverging because of the interplay between their spin and orbital angular momentum. This phenomenon can be viewed as the optical counterpart of the electron spin hall shift. For the three-layer setup under examination, the reflection coefficients are denoted as Inline graphic for TM polarization and Inline graphic for TE polarization in the following way25:

graphic file with name d33e487.gif 10
graphic file with name d33e493.gif 11

where Inline graphic and Inline graphic is the Fresnel’s reflection coefficient at the 1,2 and 3 interfaces are given by

graphic file with name d33e512.gif 12
graphic file with name d33e518.gif 13
graphic file with name d33e525.gif 14
graphic file with name d33e531.gif 15

where Inline graphic, Inline graphic and Inline graphic is the wave vector within the respective layers and Inline graphic. Where Inline graphic denotes wave vector.

As shown in Eqs. (10) and (11), the reflection coefficients depend on the dielectric medium’s permittivity, denoted as Inline graphic, which can be actively modified by changing Inline graphic. This variation results in a tunable Photonic Spin hall shift (PSHS) for incident light. Once the dielectric susceptibility is known, the PSHS can be calculated using the Fresnel reflection coefficients. The transverse spin shift, represented by Inline graphic and Inline graphic, is defined based on the reflection coefficients associated with the three layers 1,2 and 3 are26.

graphic file with name d33e606.gif 16

Here Inline graphic and Inline graphic is radius of the incident beam’s waist.

Findings and analysis

In this section, the transverse spin hall shift (PSHS) of the reflected probe beam is examined within a four-layer dielectric medium. The results are obtained from Eq. (16), which describes the transverse spin shift related to the three-layer atomic configuration. Furthermore, the photonic spin shift can be adjusted to yield both positive and negative values, depending on the parameters of the applied fields.

The PSHS Inline graphic in relation to the detuning Inline graphic of the control field is illustrated in Fig. 2. The Inline graphic is decreasing and then increases function of negative detuning and at the resonance point of the detuning Inline graphic, the PSHS is found to be Inline graphic, while the maximum value of PSHS is Inline graphic at Inline graphic and then decreases up to Inline graphic is depicted in Fig. 2a,b.

Figure 2.

Figure 2

Spin hall shift Inline graphic against control field detuning Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

The PSHS Inline graphic in relation to the detuning Inline graphic is illustrated in Fig. 2. The Inline graphic is decreasing function of negative detuning and the high value of PSHS is Inline graphic at Inline graphic. At the resonance point of the detuning Inline graphic, the PSHS is found to be Inline graphic, while the minimum value of PSHS is Inline graphic at Inline graphic is depicted in Fig. 3a,b.

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Spin hall shift Inline graphic against control field detuning Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Figure 4 examine the relationship between PSHS Inline graphic and the probe field detuning Inline graphic. The PSHS Inline graphic is decreases and then increases with Inline graphic. The high value of PSHS is Inline graphic at Inline graphic and small PSHS is investigated to be Inline graphic at resonance point Inline graphic is seen in Fig. 4a,b.

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Spin hall shift Inline graphic against probe field detuning Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Figure 5, explain the PSHS Inline graphic versus decay rate Inline graphic. The Inline graphic is gradually increases and then decreasing function of Inline graphic. The high PSHS is recorded to be Inline graphic at Inline graphic and the small PSHS is Inline graphic at Inline graphic as displayed in Fig. 5a,b.

Figure 5.

Figure 5

Spin hall shift Inline graphic versus decay rate Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Figure 6 explicates the PSHS Inline graphic is strong oscillation function of control field phase Inline graphic. The maximum value of Inline graphic is noted to be Inline graphic at Inline graphic= 0 radian, 3 radian and 7 radian. While the small PSHS is Inline graphic at Inline graphic= 1.1 radian, 4.1 radian as displayed in Fig. 6a,b.

Figure 6.

Figure 6

Spin Hall shift Inline graphic versus control field phase Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Figure 7 elucidates the PSHS Inline graphic with angle of incidence Inline graphic. The Inline graphic is increasing and then decreasing function of Inline graphic and touching the swamping point at Inline graphic= 1.5 radian and tuned to negative value of PSHS, then its value decreases and then increases and touches the swamping point again at Inline graphic= 3.2 radian. The value of PSHS lies in the range Inline graphic at Inline graphic= 3 radian and 1.2 radian as displayed in Fig. 7a. The value of PSHS at Inline graphic= 0 radian is minimum (touches the swamping point) and then increases upto Inline graphic= 0.2 radian. The PSHS again decreases and touches the swamping point at Inline graphic= 1.5 radian and increases with increases Inline graphic upto Inline graphic= 3 radian, then decreases and touches swamping point at Inline graphic= 3.2 radian. The value of PSHS lies in the range Inline graphic at Inline graphic= 1.2 radian and 3 radian as displayed in Fig. 7b.

Figure 7.

Figure 7

Spin hall shift Inline graphic versus incidence angle Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Figure 8 illustrated the effect of PSHS Inline graphic versus Rabi frequency Inline graphic. The PSHS Inline graphic slowly decreases with increases the Inline graphic upto Inline graphic and then increases upto Inline graphic. The PSHS is recorded in the range Inline graphic at Inline graphic at Inline graphic as depicted in Fig. 8a,b.

Figure 8.

Figure 8

Spin hall shift Inline graphic versus Rabi frequency Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Figure 9 elucidates the effect of PSHSInline graphic is increasing and then decreasing function of Rabi frequency Inline graphic. The maximum and minimum value of Inline graphic lies in the range of Inline graphic at Inline graphic. as displayed in Fig. 9a,b.

Figure 9.

Figure 9

Spin hall shift Inline graphic versus Rabi frequency Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic, Inline graphic.

Conclusion

The PSHS of a probe field induced by using a four levels dielectric medium. The incident photons with opposite spins become spatially separated along the transverse axis due to the coupling between their spin and orbital angular momentum. The probe beam is introduced into a cavity containing a four-level dielectric medium, allowing the photonic spin shift to be tuned to either positive or negative values by altering the parameters of the driving fields. The larger values of the spin hall shift is in the range of Inline graphic with incidence angle and smaller values of the spin hall shift is reported to be Inline graphic against the probe field detunng. The value of PSHS lies in ranges Inline graphic and Inline graphic with control fields Rabi frequencies and with decay rate its value lies in range of Inline graphic. These applications utilize the PSHE capability to create, control, and transform spin currents, facilitating advancements in computing, memory, and sensing technologies.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) (grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2502). Therefore, we would like to thank Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University for supporting this work.

Author contributions

Qaisar Khan did the primary work and performed all the simulation. Ibrahim Aldayel and Meraj Ali Khan helped in writing draft. Majid Khan reviews the paper. All authors read the article and helped in improving it.

Funding

This work was supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) (grant number IMSIU-DDRSP2502).

Data availability

Data was associated with this manuscript on reasonable request from the corresponding author

Declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Footnotes

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Associated Data

This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.

Data Availability Statement

Data was associated with this manuscript on reasonable request from the corresponding author


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