Gauge-Invariant Phase Mapping to Intensity Lobes of Structured Light via Closed-Loop Atomic Dark States
Abstract
We present an analytical model showing how the gauge-invariant loop phase in a three-level closed-loop atomic system imprints as bright-dark lobes in Laguerre Gaussian probe beam intensity patterns. In the weak probe limit, the output intensity in such systems include Beer-Lambert absorption, a scattering term and loop phase dependent interference term with optical depth controlling visibility. These systems enable mapping of arbitrary phases via interference rotation and offer a platform to measure Berry phase. Berry phase emerge as a geometric holonomy acquired by the dark states during adiabatic traversal of LG phase defined in a toroidal parameter space. Manifesting as fringe shifts which are absent in open systems, experimental realization using cold atoms or solid state platforms appears feasible, positioning structured light in closed-loop systems as ideal testbeds for geometric phases in quantum optics.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.2512.23642,
title = {Gauge-Invariant Phase Mapping to Intensity Lobes of Structured Light via Closed-Loop Atomic Dark States},
author = {Nayan Sharma and Ajay Tripathi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2512.23642},
year = {2026}
}