V. M. Entin

Investigation of cold rubidium Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap

This paper reports on the results of experiments with cold rubidium Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap. The specific feature of the experiments is the excitation of Rydberg atoms in a small volume within a cloud of cold atoms and the sorting of measured signals and spectra according to the number of detected Rydberg atoms. The effective lifetime of the 37P Rydberg state and its polarizability in a weak electric field are measured. The results obtained are in good agreement with theoretical calculations. It is demonstrated that the localization of the excitation volume in the vicinity of the zero-magnetic-field point makes it possible to improve the spectral resolution and to obtain narrow microwave resonances in Rydberg atoms without switching off the quadrupole magnetic field of the trap. The dependence of the amplitude of dipole-dipole interaction resonances in Rydberg atoms on the number of atoms is measured. This dependence exhibits a linear behavior and agrees with the theory for a weak dipole-dipole interaction.

Spectroscopy of the three-photon laser excitation of cold Rubidium Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap

The spectra of the three-photon laser excitation 5S1/2 → 5P3/2 → 6S1/2nP of cold Rb Rydberg atoms in an operating magneto-optical trap based on continuous single-frequency lasers at each stage are studied. These spectra contain two partly overlapping peaks of different amplitudes, which correspond to coherent three-photon excitation and incoherent three-step excitation due to the presence of two different ways of excitation through the dressed states of intermediate levels. A four-level theoretical model based on optical Bloch equations is developed to analyze these spectra. Good agreement between the experimental and calculated data is achieved by introducing additional decay of optical coherence induced by a finite laser line width and other broadening sources (stray electromagnetic fields, residual Doppler broadening, interatomic interactions) into the model.

Effect of the polarization of counterpropagating light waves on nonlinear resonances of the electromagnetically induced transparency and absorption in the Hanle configuration

A polarization method has been proposed for transforming the nonlinear electromagnetically induced transparency resonance into the electromagnetically induced absorption resonance (and vice versa) in the Hanle configuration in the field of counterpropagating waves. Numerical calculations have been performed for the Fg = 2 → Fe = 1 and Fg = 2 → Fe = 3 transitions in the 87Rb atom. The qualitative analysis of the effect has been performed for the three-level Λ scheme of the atomic energy levels. The main theoretical conclusions are in qualitative agreement with our experimental data for 87Rb. The results can be applied in magnetometry and nonlinear optics.

Effect of photoions on the line shape of the Förster resonance lines and microwave transitions in cold rubidium Rydberg atoms

Experiments are carried out on the spectroscopy of the Förster resonance lines Rb(37P) + Rb(37P) → Rb(37S) + Rb(38S) and microwave transitions nP → n′S, n′D between Rydberg states of cold rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Under ordinary conditions, all spectra exhibit a linewidth of 2–3 MHz irrespective of the interaction time between atoms or between atoms and microwave radiation, although the limit resonance width should be determined by the inverse interaction time. The analysis of experimental conditions has shown that the main source of line broadening is the inhomogeneous electric field of cold photoions that are generated under the excitation of initial nP Rydberg states by broadband pulsed laser radiation. The application of an additional electric-field pulse that rapidly extracts photoions produced by a laser pulse leads to a considerable narrowing of lines of microwave resonances and the Förster resonance. Various sources of line broadening in cold Rydberg atoms are analyzed.

Experimental implementation of a four-level N-type scheme for the observation of electromagnetically induced transparency

A nondegenerate four-level N-type scheme was experimentally implemented to observe electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) at the 87Rb D2 line. Radiations of two independent external-cavity semiconductor lasers were used in the experiment, the current of one of them being modulated at a frequency equal to the hyperfine-splitting frequency of the excited 5P3/2 level. In this case, apart from the main EIT dip corresponding to the two-photon Raman resonance in a three-level L-scheme, additional dips detuned from the main dip by a frequency equal to the frequency of the HF generator were observed in the absorption spectrum. These dips were due to an increase in the medium transparency at frequencies corresponding to the three-photon Raman resonances in four-level N-type schemes. The resonance shapes are analyzed as functions of generator frequency and magnetic field.

Spectroscopy of cold rubidium Rydberg atoms for applications in quantum information

Atoms in highly excited (Rydberg) states have a number of unique properties which make them attractive for applications in quantum information. These are large dipole moments, lifetimes and polarizabilities, as well as strong long-range interactions between Rydberg atoms. Experimental methods of laser cooling and precision spectroscopy enable the trapping and manipulation of single Rydberg atoms and applying them for practical implementation of quantum gates over qubits of a quantum computer based on single neutral atoms in optical traps. In this paper, we give a review of the experimental and theoretical work performed by the authors at the Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS and Novosibirsk State University on laser and microwave spectroscopy of cold Rb Rydberg atoms in a magneto-optical trap and on their possible applications in quantum information. We also give a brief review of studies done by other groups in this area.

Quantum informatics with single atoms

Current status of the research on the use of single neutral atoms, captured in optical traps, as a quantum computer’s qubits, is briefly reviewed. The specifics of qubits based on cold atoms and t quantum logical operations via dipole interaction by short-time laser excitation in a Rydberg state are discussed. The latest experimental results of the observation of dipole interaction between two Rydberg atoms and of atoms’ entangled states in a ground state are given.

Cold Atoms in Optical Lattices as Qubits for a Quantum Computer

An overview is presented of qubit arrays in the form of cold neutral atoms trapped in an optical lattice. The current status and future direction of this qubit realization are discussed. A variant is considered that is based on the dipole-dipole interaction of atoms excited into Rydberg states. The results are presented of the first experiments on the observation of the dipole-dipole interaction between a small number of Rydberg atoms.

Element base of quantum informatics II: Quantum communications with single photons

Quantum cryptography can provide almost complete security of the data transmitted in optical telecommunication systems by single photons based on the laws of quantum mechanics. The paper presents a brief overview of the element base and experimental investigations in the field of quantum cryptography and data transmission by single photons in atmospheric and optical fiber quantum communication lines. Two experimental setups for the single-photon quantum key distribution in the atmospheric and optical fiber quantum channels are described. The results of the quantum key distribution experiments performed on them are given.

Level-crossing resonance in the field of counterpropagating elliptically polarized light waves

This paper discusses the crossing resonance of magnetic sublevels in the field of counterpropagating elliptically polarized waves. Based on calculations for the optical transition F=2-->F′=1, it is shown that the sign of the narrow nonlinear resonance can be controlled by varying the polarizations of the waves. The results can be used in magnetometry and nonlinear optics.