Cavity-Aided Single Atom Detection on an Atom Chip

Xiyuan Liu, Karl‐Heinz Brenner, S. Groth +3 more

Igor Teper, Y.-J. Lin, Vladan Vuletić

We use an optical cavity to detect single atoms magnetically trapped on an atom chip. We implement the detection using both fluorescence into the cavity and atom-induced reduction in cavity transmission. In fluorescence, we register 2.0(2) photon counts per atom, which allows us to detect single atoms with 75% efficiency in 250 micros. In absorption, we measure transmission attenuation of 3.3(3)% per atom, which allows us to count small numbers of atoms with a resolution of about 1 atom.

Marco Wilzbach, Albrecht Haase, Michael Schwarz +8 more

Detecting single atoms (qubits) is a key requirement for implementing quantum information processing on an atom chip. The detector should ideally be integrated on the chip. Here we present and compare different methods capable of detecting neutral atoms on an atom chip. After a short introduction to fluorescence and absorption detection we discuss cavity enhanced detection of single atoms. In particular we concentrate on optical fiber based detectors such as fiber cavities and tapered fiber dipole traps. We discuss the various constraints in building such detectors in detail along with the current implementations on atom chips. Results from experimental tests of fiber integration are also described. In addition we present a pilot experiment for atom detection using a concentric cavity to verify the required scaling.

Jakob Reichel

Thomas Purdy, Dan Stamper-Kurn

M. Wilzbach, A. Haase, M. Schwarz +8 more

Abstract Detecting single atoms (qubits) is a key requirement for implementing quantum information processing on an atom chip. The detector should ideally be integrated on the chip. Here we present and compare different methods capable of detecting neutral atoms on an atom chip. After a short introduction to fluorescence and absorption detection we discuss cavity enhanced detection of single atoms. In particular we concentrate on optical fiber based detectors such as fiber cavities and tapered fiber dipole traps. We discuss the various constraints in building such detectors in detail along with the current implementations on atom chips. Results from experimental tests of fiber integration are also described. In addition we present a pilot experiment for atom detection using a concentric cavity to verify the required scaling.