Generation, manipulations and applications of squeezed vacuum in optically dense Rb vapor

Harnessing quantum mechanical properties of light opens up exciting possibilities for quantum information and precision metrology. In this talk I will discuss the generation of non-classical ``squeezed'' optical vacuum field using a rubidium vapor cell as a nonlinear medium, and the polarization self-rotation effect as the squeezing nonlinearity. I will also describe some methods for squeezed vacuum manipulations based on coherent optical effects, as well as possible applications for quantum-enhanced measurements and information technologies.