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AIP conference proceedings

Quantum optics experiments with a single ion

Randall G. Hulet, Jonas Bergquist, Wayne M. Itano, J. J. Bollinger, C. H. Manney, David J. Wineland

Published Jan 1, 1988• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Several experiments performed at NBS using a single (or few) trapped atomic ions are described. We recently observed the ‘‘quantum jumps’’ in the fluorescence from a single ion of Mg+ due to spontaneous Raman transitions between the energy levels of the ion. In this system, a single laser is used to induce transitions between Zeeman sub‐levels of the ion. As with other realizations of quantum jumps, the dynamics of the population evolution is governed by an effective two‐level rate equation. A novel coherence phenomenon between excited state sub‐levels makes this system ideally suited for quantitatively testing the quantum jump theory. Our data are consistent with theory to within the measurement precision of 2%. Images of two to four ions which have been laser‐cooled until they ‘‘crystallize’’ are displayed and several other recent single ion experiments are mentioned.

DOI
10.1063/1.37322

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Several experiments performed at NBS using a single (or few) trapped atomic ions are described. We recently observed the ‘‘quantum jumps’’ in the fluorescence from a single ion of Mg+ due to spontaneous Raman transitions between the energy levels of the ion. In this system, a single laser is used to induce transitions between Zeeman sub‐levels of the ion. As with other realizations of quantum jumps, the dynamics of the population evolution is governed by an effective two‐level rate equation. A novel coherence phenomenon between excited state sub‐levels makes this system ideally suited for quantitatively testing the quantum jump theory. Our data are consistent with theory to within the measurement precision of 2%. Images of two to four ions which have been laser‐cooled until they ‘‘crystallize’’ are displayed and several other recent single ion experiments are mentioned.
Summary form only given. We have performed a study of quantum jumps in single magnesium ions held in a Penning trap. This system is unusual in that quantum jumps may be observed using only a single laser frequency which serves to laser cool the ion (providing fluorescence for detection), shelve the ion in a metastable state (via an off-resonant Raman transition) and also to repump the ion from the metastable state back into the cooling cycle (again via a Raman transition). Single /sup 24/Mg/sup +/ ions have been studied in a Penning trap before but we have predicted and now observed a number of interesting effects that occur only in /sup 25/Mg/sup +/. We have also trapped single ions of /sup 26/Mg/sup +/ and confirmed that their quantum jump behaviour is similar to that of /sup 24/Mg/sup +/ as expected. The novel features in the behaviour of /sup 25/Mg/sup +/ are due to the presence of hyperfine structure in this ion.
Quantum jumps due solely to spontaneous Raman scattering between the Zeeman sublevels of a single 24Mg+^{24}\mathrm{Mg}^{+}24Mg+ ion have been observed in the fluorescence emitted by the ion. A theory of quantum jumps for this system predicts that coherences between excited levels cause the ratio of the mean duration of the "fluorescence-on periods" to the mean duration of the "fluorescence-off periods" to be independent of laser intensity. The measured value agrees with the predicted one to within the measurement precision of 2%. The distribution of the durations of the off periods also agrees with theory.
A single laser, which is used to induce and detect spontaneous Raman transitions, can be used to observe quantum jumps in a single atom. The population dynamics of a particular system, consisting of two 2S1/2^{2}\mathrm{S}_{1/2}2S1/2​ ground-state levels and four 2P3/2^{2}\mathrm{P}_{3/2}2P3/2​ excited-state levels split by a magnetic field, is analyzed for a laser tuned near a particular transition. We find that the statistics of the fluorescence emitted by this system are described by the same formalism developed for the three-level V configuration irradiated by two light sources. Over a wide range of observation times, the fluorescence intensity will be two valued, either off or on, as has been verified for the V configuration. Some surprising and elegant features of this new system are described.
We briefly discuss the preparation of a single cold ion in an rf trap, and the concept of "quantum jumps" which requires a single atomic particle for verification. Recent corresponding experiments have demonstrated interruptions of the laser-excited resonance fluorescence, which are the signature of the particles performing quantum jumps to and from a metastable level, under weak excitation of the corresponding transition. The time density of the jumps obeys a Poissonian distribution in agreement with theoretical models. With three trapped ions, the high rate of multiple jumps suggests the presence of collective interaction.
We have used stored ion methods to improve resolution and sensitivity in optical spectroscopy. Single atomic ions have been confined by electric and magnetic fields, cooled by laser radiation pressure to temperatures on the order of 1 mK, and probed spectroscopically with narrowband lasers. The absorption resonance of a single Hg + ion has been observed by a decrease in the transmitted light intensity. An ultraviolet transition in Hg + has been observed with a linewidth of only 30 kHz. Quantum jumps to and from metastable levels of Hg + have been observed and used to determine radiative decay rates and to infer the existence of photon antibunching. Quantum jumps have also been observed in single Mg + ions.