V. Gomer

Single atoms in an optical dipole trap: towards a deterministic source of cold atoms

We describe a simple experimental technique which allows us to store a small and deterministic number of neutral atoms in an optical dipole trap. The desired atom number is prepared in a magneto-optical trap overlapped with a single focused Nd:YAG laser beam. Dipole trap loading efficiency of 100% and storage times of about one minute have been achieved. We have also prepared atoms in a certain hyperfine state and demonstrated the feasibility of a state-selective detection via resonance fluorescence at the level of a few neutral atoms. A spin relaxation time of the polarized sample of 4.2+/-0.7 s has been measured. Possible applications are briefly discussed.

Single atoms in a standing-wave dipole trap

We trap a single cesium atom in a standing-wave optical dipole trap. Special experimental procedures, designed to work with single atoms, are used to measure the oscillation frequency and the atomic energy distribution in the dipole trap. These methods rely on unambiguously detecting presence or loss of the atom using its resonance fluorescence in the magneto-optical trap.

An optical conveyor belt for single neutral atoms

Abstract.Using optical dipole forces we have realized controlled transport of a single or any desired small number of neutral atoms over a distance of a centimeter with sub-micrometer precision. A standing wave dipole trap is loaded with a prescribed number of cesium atoms from a magneto-optical trap. Mutual detuning of the counter-propagating laser beams moves the interference pattern, allowing us to accelerate and stop the atoms at preselected points along the standing wave. The transportation efficiency is close to 100%. This optical ‘single-atom conveyor belt’ represents a versatile tool for future experiments requiring deterministic delivery of a prescribed number of atoms on demand.

Standing light fields for cold atoms with intrinsically stable and variable time phases

We present a novel method to realise a standing light field with a stable configuration in two or three dimensions. A single standing wave formed by two counterpropagating beams is folded and brought into intersection with itself. The values of the relative timephases are stable, a priori known, and can be altered arbitrarily by means of retardation plates. The polarisation configurations of three orthogonal standing waves include the standard magnetooptical trap and a novel three-dimensional pure polarisation lattice which we have investigated in a first spectroscopic measurement, providing strong evidence for atomic localisation in both cases.

Cold collisions in a high-gradient magneto-optical trap

We present a detailed analysis of the cold collision measurements performed in a high-gradient magneto-optical trap with a few trapped Cs atoms first presented in Ueberholz et al (J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 33 (2000) L135). The ability to observe individual loss events allows us to identify two-body collisions that lead to the escape of only one of the colliding atoms (up to 10% of all collisional losses). Possible origins of these events are discussed here. We also observed strong modifications of the total loss rate with variations in the repumping laser intensity. This is explained by a simple semiclassical model based on optical suppression of hyperfine-changing collisions between ground-state atoms.

Counting cold collisions

We have explored experimentally a novel possibility to study exoergic cold atomic collisions. Trapping of small countable atom numbers in a shallow magneto-optical trap and monitoring of their temporal dynamics allows us to directly observe isolated two-body atomic collisions and provides detailed information on loss statistics. A substantial fraction of such cold collisional events has been found to result in the loss of one atom only. We have also observed for the first time a strong optical suppression of ground-state hyperfine-changing collisions in the trap by its repump laser field.

A compact Penning trap for light ions

We describe the construction of a novel compact Penning trap from strong permanent magnets for trapping light ions. Our cylindrically symmetric, iron-free magnetic configuration allows fully analytical treatment, is easy to handle and to optimize. The magnetic field inhomogeneity is less than 1% in a volume of 1 cm3 at 0.7 T. The stored H+ and H2+ ions in this trap are detected electrically by the rf absorption method. The charge density, total number and storage time of the trapped ions are measured.

Photodetachment spectroscopy of stored ions

Threshold photodetachment of negative hydrogen ions stored in a Penning trap has been studied. The electron affinity of hydrogen is determined to in good agreement with previous experiments. The Wigner law has been found to be valid in a region of above the threshold.

Magnetostatic traps for charged and neutral particles

We have constructed magnetostatic traps from permanent magnets for trapping charged and neutral atoms. Two storage experiments are presented: a compact Penning trap for light ions and magnetic trapping of single neutral atoms. The dynamics of cold neutral atoms and their loss mechanisms in a quadrupole magnetostatic trap are discussed.

Quantum fluctuations of a single trapped atom: transient Rabi oscillations and magnetic bistability

Isolation of a single atomic particle and monitoring its resonance fluorescence is a powerful tool for studies of quantum effects in radiation-matter interactions. We present observations of quantum dynamics of an isolated neutral atom stored in a magneto-optical trap. By means of photon correlations in the atoms resonance fluorescence we demonstrate the well-known phenomenon of photon antibunching which corresponds to transient Rabi oscillations in the atom. Through polarization-sensitive photon correlations, we show a novel example of resolved quantum fluctuations: spontaneous magnetic orientation of an atom. These effects can only be observed with a single atom.