Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1005.3289 · Physical Review Letters

Electromagnetically Induced Transparency from a Single Atom in Free Space

L. Slodička, Gabriel Hetet, S. Gerber, Markus Hennrich, R. Blatt

Published Oct 5, 2010• 64 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In this Letter, we report an absorption spectroscopy experiment and the observation of electromagnetically induced transparency from a single trapped atom. We focus a weak and narrow band Gaussian light beam onto an optically cooled 138Ba+ ion using a high numerical aperture lens. Extinction of this beam is observed with measured values of up to 1.35%. We demonstrate electromagnetically induced transparency of the ion by tuning a strong control beam over a two-photon resonance in a three-level Λ-type system. The probe beam extinction is inhibited by more than 75% due to population trapping.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.105.153604

Related papers

Free space coupling to a single ion

Gabriel Hetet, L. Slodička, S. Gerber +4 more

We report absorption experiments from a single trapped atom. We focus a weak and narrow band Gaussian light beam onto an optically cooled 138Ba+ ion using a high numerical aperture lens. Extinction of this beam is observed with measured values of up to 1.35%. Using this result, we then demonstrate Electromagnetically‐Induced‐Transparency (EIT) of the ion and present a novel set‐up where the single ion is used as a mirror in a Fabry‐Perrot type cavity.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2011•0 citations

Electromagnetically induced transparency in a three-level Λ-type system in rubidium atoms

Yongqing Li, Min Xiao

An electromagnetically induced transparency is observed at one arm of a three-level \ensuremath{\Lambda}-type system in a rubidium D1 line (794.8 nm) with an 85% reduction in absorption, when a pumping field is present at the other arm. This reduction in absorption for the weak probe field is due to the atomic coherence produced by the strong pumping field. This experiment is done in a Rb vapor cell at room temperature with cw diode lasers for both pumping and probe beams in a Doppler-free configuration. A simple theoretical treatment including Doppler broadening is in good qualitative agreement with the experimental measurement.

Physical Review A•Apr 1, 1995•224 citations

Broadband cavity electromagnetically induced transparency

Xiaogang Wei, Yanhua Wang, Jiepeng Zhang +1 more

Cavity electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is created in a three-level atomic system confined in a cavity and coupled to a free-space control laser and is manifested as a narrow transmission peak of a probe laser coupled into the cavity mode and tuned to the two-photon Raman resonance with the control laser. Cavity EIT can be observed with a control laser detuned from the atomic transition frequency in a range limited by the vacuum Rabi splitting of two cavity-atom normal modes. This leads to the broadband cavity EIT obtained in the coupled-cavity-atom system with a free-space, broadband control laser. We report an experimental observation of broadband cavity EIT in cold Rb atoms with a frequency-modulated control laser and discuss its application in multichannel and multifrequency light memory.

Physical Review A•Oct 20, 2011•10 citations

Electromagnetically-induced-transparency control of single-atom motion in an optical cavity

Tobias Kampschulte, Wolfgang Alt, Sebastian Manz +6 more

We demonstrate cooling of the motion of a single neutral atom confined by a dipole trap inside a high-finesse optical resonator. Cooling of the vibrational motion results from electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)--like interference in an atomic $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type configuration, where one transition is strongly coupled to the cavity mode and the other is driven by an external control laser. Good qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions is found for the explored parameter ranges. Further, we demonstrate EIT cooling of atoms in the dipole trap in free space, reaching the ground state of axial motion. By means of a direct comparison with the cooling inside the resonator, the role of the cavity becomes evident by an additional cooling resonance. These results pave the way towards a controlled interaction among atomic, photonic, and mechanical degrees of freedom.

arXiv:1212.3814•Physical Review A•Mar 4, 2014•37 citations

Electromagnetically induced transparency in cold rubidium atoms

Min Yan, Edward G. Rickey, Yifu Zhu

We report experimental studies of electromagnetically induced transparency in Λ-type and ladder-type atomic systems realized in 87Rb atoms cooled and confined in a magneto-optical trap. Complete transparency is observed in the Λ-type system with a moderate coupling field. Comparison between the two systems reveals that at the line center of a weak probe transition, destructive interference occurs for the Λ-type system, whereas constructive interference occurs for the ladder-type system. We discuss conditions of complete transparency in the Λ-type system that contains hyperfine magnetic sublevels. Our experimental measurements for the two systems agree with theoretical calculations based on simple three-level Λ-type and ladder-type models.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Aug 1, 2001•53 citations

Optical Control of the Refractive Index of a Single Atom

Tobias Kampschulte, Wolfgang Alt, Stefan Brakhane +4 more

We experimentally demonstrate the elementary case of electromagnetically induced transparency with a single atom inside an optical cavity probed by a weak field. We observe the modification of the dispersive and absorptive properties of the atom by changing the frequency of a control light field. Moreover, a strong cooling effect has been observed at two-photon resonance, increasing the storage time of our atoms twenty-fold to about 16 seconds. Our result points towards all-optical switching with single photons.

arXiv:1004.5348•Physical Review Letters•Oct 5, 2010•93 citations
In this Letter, we report an absorption spectroscopy experiment and the observation of electromagnetically induced transparency from a single trapped atom. We focus a weak and narrow band Gaussian light beam onto an optically cooled 138Ba+ ion using a high numerical aperture lens. Extinction of this beam is observed with measured values of up to 1.35%. We demonstrate electromagnetically induced transparency of the ion by tuning a strong control beam over a two-photon resonance in a three-level Λ-type system. The probe beam extinction is inhibited by more than 75% due to population trapping.
An electromagnetically induced transparency is observed at one arm of a three-level \ensuremath{\Lambda}-type system in a rubidium D1 line (794.8 nm) with an 85% reduction in absorption, when a pumping field is present at the other arm. This reduction in absorption for the weak probe field is due to the atomic coherence produced by the strong pumping field. This experiment is done in a Rb vapor cell at room temperature with cw diode lasers for both pumping and probe beams in a Doppler-free configuration. A simple theoretical treatment including Doppler broadening is in good qualitative agreement with the experimental measurement.
Cavity electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is created in a three-level atomic system confined in a cavity and coupled to a free-space control laser and is manifested as a narrow transmission peak of a probe laser coupled into the cavity mode and tuned to the two-photon Raman resonance with the control laser. Cavity EIT can be observed with a control laser detuned from the atomic transition frequency in a range limited by the vacuum Rabi splitting of two cavity-atom normal modes. This leads to the broadband cavity EIT obtained in the coupled-cavity-atom system with a free-space, broadband control laser. We report an experimental observation of broadband cavity EIT in cold Rb atoms with a frequency-modulated control laser and discuss its application in multichannel and multifrequency light memory.
We demonstrate cooling of the motion of a single neutral atom confined by a dipole trap inside a high-finesse optical resonator. Cooling of the vibrational motion results from electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT)--like interference in an atomic $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$-type configuration, where one transition is strongly coupled to the cavity mode and the other is driven by an external control laser. Good qualitative agreement with the theoretical predictions is found for the explored parameter ranges. Further, we demonstrate EIT cooling of atoms in the dipole trap in free space, reaching the ground state of axial motion. By means of a direct comparison with the cooling inside the resonator, the role of the cavity becomes evident by an additional cooling resonance. These results pave the way towards a controlled interaction among atomic, photonic, and mechanical degrees of freedom.
We report experimental studies of electromagnetically induced transparency in Λ-type and ladder-type atomic systems realized in 87Rb atoms cooled and confined in a magneto-optical trap. Complete transparency is observed in the Λ-type system with a moderate coupling field. Comparison between the two systems reveals that at the line center of a weak probe transition, destructive interference occurs for the Λ-type system, whereas constructive interference occurs for the ladder-type system. We discuss conditions of complete transparency in the Λ-type system that contains hyperfine magnetic sublevels. Our experimental measurements for the two systems agree with theoretical calculations based on simple three-level Λ-type and ladder-type models.
We experimentally demonstrate the elementary case of electromagnetically induced transparency with a single atom inside an optical cavity probed by a weak field. We observe the modification of the dispersive and absorptive properties of the atom by changing the frequency of a control light field. Moreover, a strong cooling effect has been observed at two-photon resonance, increasing the storage time of our atoms twenty-fold to about 16 seconds. Our result points towards all-optical switching with single photons.