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arXiv:2210.11893 · Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics

Coherent dynamics in a five-level atomic system

Jan Schütz, Alexander Reid Martin, Sanah Laschinger, G. Birkl

Published Oct 20, 2022• 3 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract The coherent control of multi-partite quantum systems presents one of the central prerequisites in state-of-the-art quantum information processing. With the added benefit of inherent high-fidelity detection capability, atomic quantum systems in high-energy internal states, such as metastable noble gas atoms, promote themselves as ideal candidates for advancing quantum science in fundamental aspects and technological applications. Using laser-cooled neon atoms in the metastable 3P2 state of state 1s 22s 22p 53s (LS-coupling notation) (Racah notation: 2 P 3/23s[3/2]2) with five m J -sublevels, experimental methods for the preparation of all Zeeman sublevels |m J ⟩ = |+2⟩, |+1⟩, |0⟩, |−1⟩, |−2⟩ as well as the coherent control of superposition states in the five-level system |+2⟩, …, |−2⟩, in the three-level system |+2⟩, |+1⟩, |0⟩, and in the two-level system |+2⟩, |+1⟩ are presented. The methods are based on optimized radio frequency and laser pulse sequences. The state evolution is described with a simple, semiclassical model. The coherence properties of the prepared states are studied using Ramsey and spin echo measurements.

DOI
10.1088/1361-6455/ac9c3a

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Abstract The coherent control of multi-partite quantum systems presents one of the central prerequisites in state-of-the-art quantum information processing. With the added benefit of inherent high-fidelity detection capability, atomic quantum systems in high-energy internal states, such as metastable noble gas atoms, promote themselves as ideal candidates for advancing quantum science in fundamental aspects and technological applications. Using laser-cooled neon atoms in the metastable 3P2 state of state 1s 22s 22p 53s (LS-coupling notation) (Racah notation: 2 P 3/23s[3/2]2) with five m J -sublevels, experimental methods for the preparation of all Zeeman sublevels |m J ⟩ = |+2⟩, |+1⟩, |0⟩, |−1⟩, |−2⟩ as well as the coherent control of superposition states in the five-level system |+2⟩, …, |−2⟩, in the three-level system |+2⟩, |+1⟩, |0⟩, and in the two-level system |+2⟩, |+1⟩ are presented. The methods are based on optimized radio frequency and laser pulse sequences. The state evolution is described with a simple, semiclassical model. The coherence properties of the prepared states are studied using Ramsey and spin echo measurements.
We present experimental demonstrations of a technique, based on multistate variants of the stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) process, that allows efficient and robust preparation of a preselected superposition of two or three degenerate states (magnetic sublevels of an atom) and the measurement of their relative amplitudes and phases. The experiments verify theoretical results described in the preceding paper. We perform our experiments with neon atoms in a supersonic beam: atoms in the metastable 3P0^{3}{P}_{0}3P0​ state are transferred to a superposition of the metastable 3P2^{3}{P}_{2}3P2​ magnetic sublevels, using four different linkage patterns. Because the preparation utilizes adiabatic passage, it is robust against small fluctuations of the Rabi frequencies and temporal shape of the coupling fields. The relative phases and the amplitude ratios of the components of the prepared superpositions are experimentally analyzed using a technique termed phase-to-population mapping. Phase-to-population mapping is based on laser-induced fluorescence after the atoms have undergone optical pumping cycles induced by an additional laser. The optical pumping process maps the superposition phases into populations of a subset of levels by means of a filtering laser field, and is robust against variations in the intensity and detuning of that field.
We demonstrate experimental techniques for creating and measuring a coherent superposition of two degenerate atomic states with equal amplitudes in metastable neon. Starting from state (3)P(0), we create adiabatically a coherent superposition of the magnetic sublevels M=+/-1 of the state (3)P(2) using a tripod stimulated Raman adiabatic passage scheme. The measurement is based on the coupling of the levels (3)P(2)<-->(3)P(1) by a linearly polarized laser, followed by the detection of the population in the (3)P(2)(M=+/-2) states as a function of the polarization angle of that laser.
Summary form only given. The understanding of the interaction of ultracold atoms will be substantially extended by the experimental study of ultracold non-alkaline systems. Due to the special internal structure and the high internal energy, metastable noble gases will play a crucial role. The objective of our work is to attain a detailed study of the atomic structure and the interactions in a gas of ultracold metastable neon atoms. Ensembles of high phase space density and, if possible, Bose condensates shall be achieved. The elementary pair interaction as well as the collective interactions are to be characterized. Of special interest is Penning ionization as it is the main loss process in dense metastable atom traps. The degree of its suppression in a spin polarized gas will strongly affect the feasibility of a quantum-degenerate system of metastable atoms. In addition, metastable noble gas atoms will allow the implementation of novel diagnostics for the investigation of Bose condensates due to their high detectability. We want to make use of this advantage in order to investigate higher order correlation functions and study the laser-like behavior of Bose condensates and atom-laser outputs. We have achieved loading of 4/spl times/10/sup 8/ atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and after efficient spin polarization of 2.5 /spl times/ 10/sup 8/ atoms in a Ioffe-Pritchard-type magnetic trap. We present a precision measurement of the lifetime of the 3s[3/2]/sub 2/-metastable state of neon which we could determine to 14.70(13)s. We report on the status of the determination of the elastic scattering rate, the rates of Penning ionization for spin-polarized and non-spin-polarized atom samples, and the implementation of evaporative cooling.
We propose and analyze a scheme for creation of coherent superposition of meta-stable states in a multilevel atom. The scheme is based on interaction of a frequency modulated (chirped) laser pulse and a pulse of a constant carrier frequency with the atom having two meta-stable (ground) states and multiple excited states. The negligible excitation of the atoms is a priority in the proposed scheme to eliminate the de-coherence processes caused by the decay of the excited states. The scheme is applied to create coherent superposition of magnetic sublevels of ground states of the 87Rb atom taking into account all allowed electric-dipole transitions between magnetic sublevels of the 5 2S1/2 - 52P3/2 transition (D2 line). In addition to the theoretical analysis we consider possible experimental realizations of the proposed coherence creation scheme and discuss their feasibilities and constraints. We concentrate on a detection of the superposition state in the Faraday-rotation experiment. Such detection reduces technical laser noise background and offers high sensitivity of the coherence detection. Moreover, it allows extra control of the atomic sample and the interaction dynamics by external magnetic field.
We demonstrate a simple, all-optical technique to prepare and determine the desired internal quantum states in multi-Zeeman-sublevel atoms. By choosing appropriate coupling and pumping laser beams, atoms can be easily prepared in a desired Zeeman sublevel with high purity or in any chosen ground-state population distributions (spin-polarized quantum-state engineering). The population distributions or state purities of such prepared atomic states can be determined by using a weak, circularly polarized probe beam due to differences in transition strengths among different Zeeman sublevels. This technique will have potential impact on quantum-information processing in multilevel atomic systems.