Remarks on “Coherence—An Advanced Experiment in Optics”

Sharon Hammes‐Schiffer

Quantum mechanical phenomena such as coherence, spin dynamics, and tunneling have been observed in biological, electrochemical, polymeric, and many other condensed phase processes. This paper summarizes the diverse contributions to the Faraday Discussion on quantum effects in complex systems. Various processes exhibiting quantum mechanical behavior were examined using advanced spectroscopic and theoretical methods. An emerging theme was the critical importance of feedback between experiment and theory, particularly in the form of experimental testing of theoretical predictions.

L. Mandeļ, E. Wolf

Esdras Anzuola, Aniceto Belmonte Molina

R. Loudon

Miller, Russell Lowell

In recent years, remarkable advances in the science of laser cooling and trapping of atomic samples have lead to breakthroughs in quantum optics and, in particular, in cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED). The ability to optically trap an atom within the mode of a ultra-high finesse cavity of small mode volume for experimentally significant periods of time now allows for the continuous observation of fundamental quantum optical effects. This dissertation will focus on experiments conducted to fully characterize and exert quantum control over a strongly-coupled atom-cavity system consisting of single cesium atoms isolated by a dipole trapping in the mode of a Fabry-Perot optical resonator. In particular, we describe techniques developed and implemented for exerting coherent control over the internal and quantum motional state of these atoms using stimulated Raman processes. We also focus on the applications of this system to quantum networking and quantum information science, particularly within the context of coherently transferring quantum states from atom to quantum optical fields and back. Finally, we describe a series of measurements carried out to explore the characteristic dynamics of the Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian which governs the system. This includes spectroscopic measurement of the signature vacuum Rabi splitting for strongly-coupled cavity QED as well as evidence in the time domain for coherent Rabi nutation of excitation between atom and field on resonance.