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arXiv:2203.11617 · Physical Review A

Preparation of ultracold atomic-ensemble arrays using time-multiplexed optical tweezers

Katja Gosar, Vesna Pirc Jevšenak, Tadej Mežnaršič, Dušan Babić, Igor Poberaj, Erik Zupanič, P. Jeglič

Published Aug 3, 2022• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We use optical tweezers based on time-multiplexed acousto-optic deflectors to trap ultracold cesium atoms in one-dimensional arrays of atomic ensembles. For temperatures between $2.5\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$ and $50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nK}$ we study the maximal time between optical tweezer pulses that retains the number of atoms in a single trap. This time provides an estimate of the maximal number of sites in an array of time-multiplexed optical tweezers. We demonstrate evaporative cooling of atoms in arrays of up to 25 optical tweezer traps and the preparation of atoms in a box potential. Additionally, we demonstrate three different protocols for the preparation of atomic-ensemble arrays by transfer from an expanding ultracold atomic cloud. These result in the preparation of arrays of up to 74 atomic ensembles consisting of $\ensuremath{\sim}100$ atoms on average.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.106.022604

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Tweezing cold molecules Arrays of optical tweezers have been used to trap atoms, but trapping and laser-cooling molecules in this setting is tricky. Such an approach would, however, be generalizable to many molecular species. Anderegg et al. created an optical tweezer array of calcium monofluoride molecules, which were laser cooled to their ground state (see the Perspective by Kotochigova). By distinguishing between single and multiple molecules in the tweezers, the researchers were able to observe molecular collisions. Boasting exquisite control over individual molecules, the optical tweezer array platform holds much promise for extending the applications of ultracold molecules. Science , this issue p. 1156 ; see also p. 1079

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We use optical tweezers based on time-multiplexed acousto-optic deflectors to trap ultracold cesium atoms in one-dimensional arrays of atomic ensembles. For temperatures between 2.5\ensuremathμK2.5\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}2.5\ensuremathμK and 50nK50\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nK}50nK we study the maximal time between optical tweezer pulses that retains the number of atoms in a single trap. This time provides an estimate of the maximal number of sites in an array of time-multiplexed optical tweezers. We demonstrate evaporative cooling of atoms in arrays of up to 25 optical tweezer traps and the preparation of atoms in a box potential. Additionally, we demonstrate three different protocols for the preparation of atomic-ensemble arrays by transfer from an expanding ultracold atomic cloud. These result in the preparation of arrays of up to 74 atomic ensembles consisting of \ensuremath∼100\ensuremath{\sim}100\ensuremath∼100 atoms on average.
Abstract We present programmable two-dimensional arrays of microscopic atomic ensembles consisting of more than 400 sites with nearly uniform filling and small atom number fluctuations. Our approach involves direct projection of light patterns from a digital micromirror device with high spatial resolution onto an optical pancake trap acting as a reservoir. This makes it possible to load large arrays of tweezers in a single step with high occupation numbers and low power requirements per tweezer. Each atomic ensemble is confined to ~1 μm3 with a controllable occupation from 20 to 200 atoms and with (sub)-Poissonian atom number fluctuations. Thus, they are ideally suited for quantum simulation and for realizing large arrays of collectively encoded Rydberg-atom qubits for quantum information processing.
We report on the implementation of an optical tweezer system for controlled transport of ultracold atoms along a narrow, static confinement channel. The tweezer system is based on high-efficiency acousto-optic deflectors and offers two-dimensional control over beam position. This opens up the possibility for tracking the transport channel when shuttling atomic clouds along it, forestalling atom spilling. Multiple clouds can be tracked independently by time-shared tweezer beams addressing individual sites in the channel. The deflectors are controlled using a multichannel direct digital synthesizer, which receives instructions on a submicrosecond time scale from a field-programmable gate array. Using the tweezer system, we demonstrate sequential binary splitting of an ultracold 87Rb cloud into 2(5) clouds.
Optical tweezer arrays of neutral atoms have emerged as a versatile and powerful platform for quantum simulation and quantum information processing. In this thesis, I present the realization of an experimental platform for quantum simulation based on individually trapped strontium atoms in optical tweezer arrays. The experiment combines precise laser cooling, optical control, and high-resolution imaging to enable the manipulation and high fidelity detection of single atoms. I developed and optimized a two-stage three-dimensional magneto-optical trap (3D-MOT) that produces cold and dense samples of strontium atoms from a thermal beam. In the f irst stage, atoms are captured and precooled using the dipole-allowed 1S0 → 1P1 transition at 461nm (which has a linewidth of !=2ω ↑ 32MHz). The second stage employs the 1S0 → 3P1 narrow intercombination transition at 689nm (with a linewidth of !=2ω ↑7.5kHz) to further cool and compress the atomic cloud. By optimizing the trapping parameters, I achieved clouds with temperatures around 5μK and densities above 1010cm→3, providing ideal initial conditions for e!cient loading into optical tweezers. A 3↑3 array of 360μK deep optical tweezers is generated by spatially modulating an 813.4nm laser beam using two crossed acousto-optic deflectors. The deflected beams are relayed and focused into the science chamber using a high–numericalaperture objective, which simultaneously serves as the collection optics for atomic f luorescence. The fluorescence light emitted by the atoms is imaged onto a scientific qCMOS camera, enabling site-resolved detection of individual atoms. I implemented and optimized the in-trap cooling dynamics to prevent atom loss during imaging and to minimize residual thermal motion. In addition, by precisely tuning lightassisted collisions, multiple atoms occupancies are removed from the traps and a single-atom regime is reached in the array, with a filling fraction of about 50%. I have demonstrated a single-atom detection fidelity of 99,986(1)% and a survival probability of 97(2)% between subsequent image acquisition, comparable to other current state-of-the-art experiments. To characterize the platform, I carried out release-and-recapture experiments, from which it is possible to measure a temperature for the individually trapped atoms of 12.95(5)μK. These results demonstrate the successful implementation of a robust and high-fidelity platform for optical trapping and imaging of single strontium atoms. The apparatus provides the foundation for future quantum simulation experiments with alkalineearth atoms excited to the Rydberg state, o"ering precise control over individual particles and the ability to scale towards larger, programmable atomic arrays.
Optical tweezer arrays of neutral atoms have emerged as a promising platform for studying quantum physics. These individual atoms can be carefully prepared in single quantum states, and easily manipulated with microwaves and lasers. MHz scale interactions are accessible at several micron scale distances by exciting these atoms to Rydberg states. These arrays can also be created in arbitrary 2D geometries with the use of a spatial light modulator. Adding the capability of a second species opens new possibilities in non-destructive measurement and quantum simulation of bipartite systems with widely tunable parameters. In this thesis, we describe our efforts to build a flexible platform for studying quantum phenomena utilizing two species of atoms, sodium and cesium. In particular, we discuss the laser technology and setups required to create dual species optical tweezer arrays. These arrays are made defect-free with real-time rearrangement of atoms using a separate set of tweezers created with acousto-optical deflectors. We then describe how to excite these atoms coherently to the Rydberg state with coherence times in Cs as long as 20 microseconds. With these techniques established, we are able to probe an Ising critical point in 1D and 2D systems with up to 81 atoms. In particular, we measure and confirm the value of the universal critical exponent, η\etaη, via adiabatic preparation of the ground state at the critical point. Then, we measure the interactions between sodium and cesium atoms setting the stage for future experiments. Lastly, a theoretical proposal is presented where Rydberg atoms can be used to enhance the interaction rates of ultracold polar molecules, as well as measure their states non-destructively.
Tweezing cold molecules Arrays of optical tweezers have been used to trap atoms, but trapping and laser-cooling molecules in this setting is tricky. Such an approach would, however, be generalizable to many molecular species. Anderegg et al. created an optical tweezer array of calcium monofluoride molecules, which were laser cooled to their ground state (see the Perspective by Kotochigova). By distinguishing between single and multiple molecules in the tweezers, the researchers were able to observe molecular collisions. Boasting exquisite control over individual molecules, the optical tweezer array platform holds much promise for extending the applications of ultracold molecules. Science , this issue p. 1156 ; see also p. 1079