Eyal Schwartz

Enhanced Interferometric Identification of Spectra in Habitable Extrasolar Planets

An Earth-like extrasolar planet emits light that is many orders of magnitude fainter than that of the parent star. We propose a method of identifying bio-signature spectral lines in light of known extrasolar planets based on Fourier spectroscopy in the infrared, using an off-center part of a Fourier interferogram only. This results in superior sensitivity to narrower molecular-type spectral bands, which are expected in the planet spectrum but are absent in the parent star. We support this idea by numerical simulations that include photon and thermal noise, and show it to be feasible at a luminosity ratio of 10?6 for a Sun-like parent star in the infrared. We also carried out a laboratory experiment to illustrate the method. The results suggest that this method should be applicable to real planet searches.

Enhanced sampling of 2D interference patterns

We propose a simple analysis to improve the resolution of interference patterns which consist of straight fringes. As the pattern is rotated with respect to the detector, each row or column in the camera perceives it in a slightly shifted manner. We support this proposed method by analyzing both simulated and experimental interference patterns, and verify it using an interferogram obtained from a spectrally complex light source. The results imply that this technique could be implemented in different aspects of image analysis common in many fields in physics.

Revealing habitable exoplanets through their spectral features

The extremely low signal contrast between an Earth-like extra-solar planet (exoplanet) and a parent star is a difficult obstacle in their detection, imaging and spectroscopic analysis. We suggest a method of using selected parts of the Fourier interferogram of the combined light sources (both planet and sun) in order to increase the signal to noise ratio and identify the specific spectral features from the planet in the background of the parent star. A habitable exoplanet is expected to reflect and emit a luminosity which is many orders of magnitude less than that of the parent star. However, its spectral features are much different, being much narrower than its sun. Narrower lines are more coherent, so their Fourier spectrum extends to much larger delays. Thus they can be discriminated for by looking at an off-center part of a Fourier spectrogram. As the center (with the shorter delay) has all the power from the stars wider features, these will not affect the result. Now all the power will be distributed at the longer delays (where the exoplanets lines appear), improving the signal to noise ratio. We support this idea by realistic simulations which include photon and thermal noise, and show it to be feasible at a luminosity ratio of 10-6 in the infra-red for a Sun-like star and an Earth-like planet. We also carried out a laboratory experiment to illustrate the method. The results suggest that this method should be applicable to a very large number of candidate stars.

High fidelity source of single atoms in the quantum ground state of optical tweezers

Complete control of individual atoms trapped in far-off resonance optical tweezers is vital for gaining a better understanding of the microscopic world. It will provide a platform with unprecedented flexibility for studying few-body physics, and might lead to new quantum technologies.

Zeeman-insensitive cooling of a single atom to its two-dimensional motional ground state in tightly focused optical tweezers

We combine near--deterministic preparation of a single atom with Raman sideband cooling, to create a push button mechanism to prepare a single atom in the motional ground state of tightly focused optical tweezers. In the 2D radial plane, we achieve a large ground state fidelity for the entire procedure (loading and cooling) of

Revealing bio-lines of exoplanets by Fourier spectroscopy

\sim

Banding oscillations of non-Brownian particles in a rotating fluid

0.73, while the ground state occupancy is

Concepts of Fourier transform spectroscopy using a Sagnac interferometer

\sim

Spectroscopic interferometric method of revealing spectral features from extra-solar planets

0.88 for realizations with a single atom present. For 1D axial cooling, we attain a ground state fraction of

Improving identification of weak spectral lines in the presence of a strong continuum

\sim