Nonreciprocal photon blockade based on Zeeman splittings induced by a fictitious magnetic field

Abstract Quantum nonreciprocity, such as nonreciprocal photon blockade, has attracted great attention due to its unique applications in quantum information processing. Its implementation primarily relies on rotating nonlinear systems, based on the Sagnac effect. Here, we propose an all-optical approach to achieve nonreciprocal photon blockade in an on-chip microring resonator coupled to a V -type Rb atom, which arises from the Zeeman splittings of the atomic hyperfine sublevels induced by the fictitious magnetic field of a circularly polarized control laser. The system manifests single-photon blockade or multi-photon tunneling when driven from opposite directions. This nonreciprocity results from the directional detunings between the countercirculating probe fields and the V -type atom, which does not require the mechanical rotation and facilitates integration. Our work opens up a new route to achieve on-chip integrable quantum nonreciprocity, enabling applications in chiral quantum technologies.