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Physical Review A

Atomic gravitational cavities from hollow optical fibers

David Harris, Craig M. Savage

Published May 1, 1995• 24 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We analyze a type of cavity, or trap, for atoms: a hollow optical fiber bent into a vertical U shape. The atoms are confined by gravity and by light forces due to the evanescent wave on the fiber's interior surface. A unique feature of this cavity is its mechanical flexibility, which allows tailoring of the gravitational potential experienced by the atoms. In particular a cycloid shape gives simple harmonic motion along the fiber. It can achieve confinement times similar to the parabolic reflector type of gravitational cavity. Quantized motion and an intracavity cooling scheme are considered.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.51.3967

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We analyze a type of cavity, or trap, for atoms: a hollow optical fiber bent into a vertical U shape. The atoms are confined by gravity and by light forces due to the evanescent wave on the fiber's interior surface. A unique feature of this cavity is its mechanical flexibility, which allows tailoring of the gravitational potential experienced by the atoms. In particular a cycloid shape gives simple harmonic motion along the fiber. It can achieve confinement times similar to the parabolic reflector type of gravitational cavity. Quantized motion and an intracavity cooling scheme are considered.
We present a theoretical analysis of coherent atomic motion through a straight atomic waveguide constructed from a hollow optical fiber. Atoms are guided by the evanescent light field at the fiber's interior glass-vacuum interface. The atoms' internal structure is modeled by a Jg{\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{g}}Jg​=0 to Je{\mathit{J}}_{\mathit{e}}Je​=1 transition. The atomic wave functions are determined and the loss rates due to spontaneous emission, tunneling to the wall, and nonadiabatic transitions are estimated. The influence of Casimir-Polder forces is considered. We conclude with a discussion of the feasibility of the proposed waveguides.
Summary form only given. Cold atoms are expected to be applied to experiments on quantum motion, topological phenomena, cavity QED, and so on. Most of the interesting experiments require precise control on atomic motion. We have proposed the atomic waveguide by evanescent waves to enable the precise one-dimensional manipulation of atoms. The atomic waveguide is composed of a cylindrical-core hollow fiber with a hollow diameter of a few microns. The attachment of a funnel for atoms should be effective in coupling atoms to the atomic waveguide. In this work we present a novel scheme of the atomic funnel based on the dipole force from evanescent waves. Compared to the 2D MOT funnel, the evanescent-wave funnel has a further advantage of acting as a gravitational trap.
We use evanescent laser light to guide atoms through hollow-core optical fibers. The light, detuned to the blue side of rubidium's D2{D}_{2}D2​ resonance lines, is launched into the glass region of a hollow capillary fiber and guided through the fiber by total internal reflection from the glass walls. Atoms interacting with the evanescent component of the field are repelled from the wall and guided through the fiber hollow. A second laser tuned to the red side of resonance is used to initially inject the atoms into the evanescent guide. An optical intensity threshold for guiding is observed as the evanescent-field-induced dipole forces exceed the van der Waals forces.
This thesis explores hollow-core fibres as a platform for quantum optics experiments with laser-cooled atomic ensembles. The non-diffracting, tightly-confined guided modes of these fibers grant us a ~µm-wide one-dimensional space to study atom-light interactions. In order to describe on-going experiments, simulations are carried out to understand atomic motion into the hollow fibers. Following which, a preliminary case study of a quantum optics experiment to convert wavelengths of single photons with Cs atomic ensembles inside the hollow fiber is presented. Lastly, basic optical properties of photonic crystal membranes are briefly explored. These can form novel cavities when appended to hollow fibers.
Recent theoretical and experimental demonstrations have shown that blue-detuned laser light, propagating in the annular core-cladding region of a hollow-glass fiber, produces a repulsive, evanescent light-wave potential in the hollow, that can be used to guide near-resonant atoms down the fiber. In this work, I show that slight modifications to the hollow-fiber geometry can be used to turn this atom guide into an atom-bottle trap. The trap can be open and shut by varying the aperture angle at which light couples into the fiber, allowing the atoms to be easily loaded. This trap has an advantage over other optical atom traps in that the atoms move coherently in a field-free region with only brief specular reflections at the step-like potential walls.
Recent theoretical and experimental demonstrations have shown that blue-detuned laser light, propagating in the annular core-cladding region of a hollow-glass fiber, produces a repulsive, evanescent light-wave potential in the hollow that can be used to guide near-resonant atoms down the fiber.1–4 In this work I show that slight modifications to the hollow-fiber geometry can be used to turn this atom guide into an atom-bottle trap.5-6 The trap can be opened and shut by varying the aperture angle at which light couples into the fiber, allowing the atoms to be easily loaded. This trap has an advantage over other optical atom traps in that the atoms move coherently in a field-free region with only brief specular reflections at the step-like potential walls.