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arXiv:1506.05979 · Europhysics Letters (EPL)

Cold atoms: A field enabled by light

L. Fallani, Anders Kastberg

Published Jun 1, 2015• 16 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Besides being a source of energy, light can also cool gases of atoms down to the lowest temperatures ever measured, where atomic motion almost stops. The research field of cold atoms has emerged as a multidisciplinary one, highly relevant, e.g. , for precision measurements, quantum gases, simulations of many-body physics, and atom optics. In this focus article, we present the field as seen in 2015, and emphasise the fundamental role in its development that has been played by mastering light .

DOI
10.1209/0295-5075/110/53001

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Besides being a source of energy, light can also cool gases of atoms down to the lowest temperatures ever measured, where atomic motion almost stops. The research field of cold atoms has emerged as a multidisciplinary one, highly relevant, e.g. , for precision measurements, quantum gases, simulations of many-body physics, and atom optics. In this focus article, we present the field as seen in 2015, and emphasise the fundamental role in its development that has been played by mastering light .
Introduction This chapter describes remarkable new experiments that have been made possible through recent advances in laser cooling of atoms. Cooling of atoms in a gas by laser light is in itself surprising and this technique is important in a range of applications. In particular the experiments described here take atoms that have been laser cooled and then use other methods to reach even lower temperatures, at which wonderful and fascinating quantum effects occur. As well as revealing new phenomena, these experiments explore the deep analogies between the roles played by light waves in lasers and matter waves. These techniques are widely accessible and enable skilled researchers in laboratories all over the world to explore exciting new physics. The key physics and techniques of laser cooling are described in depth in Chapter 6. What is “temperature”? We use the words “cold” and “hot” every day; for example to refer to the temperature of the air outside. But what do “cold” and “hot” mean for the air’s molecules? Broadly speaking, we can say that atoms in a hot gas move faster than those in a cold gas and that cooling, by taking energy out of the gas, slows the atoms down. In this description of the gas as a collection of atoms behaving like billiard balls, or little hard spheres, the lowest possible temperature occurs when the atoms stop moving but, as we shall see, this picture does not give an accurate description at very low energies, for which quantum effects become important. In this chapter we will look at the fascinating properties of atomic gases cooled to temperatures within one millionth of a degree Kelvin from absolute zero. We shall use the term “ultra-cold” to refer to such extremely low temperatures that have only recently been achieved in experiments on atomic gases. The techniques used to cool liquids and solids have a longer history and have made available a different set of possibilities (see Chapter 8). Note that most of this chapter refers to gases in which the individual particles are atoms, but the general statements about temperature scales apply equally well to gases of molecules, e.g. air, whose major constituents, oxygen and nitrogen, exist as diatomic molecules.
Light and matter are very closely linked in our modelling of the physical world. From the formulation of quantum theory to the invention of laser, the interaction between atoms and radiation has played a crucial role in the development of today’s science and technology. By controlling this interaction, the lowest temperatures ever recorded are now reached. Cooling atomic gases with laser light produces “quantum matter” with radically different properties from those of ordinary fluids. These cold atoms are the cornerstone of a new metrology of time and space, with applications in a wide variety of fields, including navigation, telecommunication and geophysics.
Physicists know how to produce gases at a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero. The cooling methods apply not only to atoms but also to ions and molecules. This field of research has three times been awarded the Nobel Prize. The field experienced remarkable growth when experimentalists learned how to vary at will the interactions between particles, trapping them with optical tweezers or in optical gratings with adjustable geometry. Artificial crystals made of atoms or molecules can be built to simulate the structure of matter and elucidate some of its magnetic properties, hopefully contributing to the understanding of high-temperature superconductivity. The phenomenon of quantum entanglement is the basis for new devices for the storage and transmission of quantum information. Spectacular progress is constantly being made in metrology. For example, ultra-cold atom or ion clocks measure time to better than one second over the lifetime of the Universe. New types of industrial gravimeters and gyroscopes are improving the sensitivity of seismology and navigation in space. In addition, the extreme precision of the measurements allows tests of the fundamental laws of physics, such as quantum electrodynamics, Lorentz invariance or possible variations of the fundamental constants. The field of ultra-cold particles has now reached the stage where it provides insights in the fields of condensed matter, chemistry and even cosmology.
Physicists know how to produce gases at a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero. The cooling methods apply not only to atoms but also to ions and molecules. This field of research has three times been awarded the Nobel Prize. The field experienced remarkable growth when experimentalists learned how to vary at will the interactions between particles, trapping them with optical tweezers or in optical gratings with adjustable geometry. Artificial crystals made of atoms or molecules can be built to simulate the structure of matter and elucidate some of its magnetic properties, hopefully contributing to the understanding of high-temperature superconductivity. The phenomenon of quantum entanglement is the basis for new devices for the storage and transmission of quantum information. Spectacular progress is constantly being made in metrology. For example, ultra-cold atom or ion clocks measure time to better than one second over the lifetime of the Universe. New types of industrial gravimeters and gyroscopes are improving the sensitivity of seismology and navigation in space. In addition, the extreme precision of the measurements allows tests of the fundamental laws of physics, such as quantum electrodynamics, Lorentz invariance or possible variations of the fundamental constants. The field of ultra-cold particles has now reached the stage where it provides insights in the fields of condensed matter, chemistry and even cosmology.
Quantum optics with quantum gases represents a new field, where the quantum nature of both light and ultracold matter plays equally important role. Only very recently this ultimate quantum limit of light-matter interaction became feasible experimentally. In traditional quantum optics, the cold atoms are considered classically, whereas, in quantum atom optics, the light is used as an essentially classical auxilary tool. On the one hand, the quantization of optical trapping potentials can significantly modify many-body dynamics of atoms, which is well-known only for classical potentials. On the other hand, atomic fluctuations can modify the properties of the scattered light.
"This book derives from the content of graduate courses on cold atomic gases, taught at the Renmin University of China and at the University of Science and Technology of China. It provides a brief review on the history and current research frontiers in the field of ultracold atomic gases, as well as basic theoretical description of few- and many-body physics in the system. Starting from the basics such as atomic structure, atom-light interaction, laser cooling and trapping, the book then moves on to focus on the treatment of ultracold Fermi gases, before turning to topics in quantum simulation using cold atoms in optical lattices. The book would be ideal not only for professionals and researchers, but also for familiarizing junior graduate students with the subject and aiding them in their preparation for future study and research in the field."--