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Physical Review A

Neutral atoms prepared in Fock states of a one-dimensional harmonic potential

Isabelle Bouchoule, Hélène Perrin, Axel Kuhn, M. Morinaga, Ch Salomon

Published Jan 1, 1999• 51 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe the preparation of Fock states of motion of cesium atoms trapped in potential wells of a far detuned optical lattice. Direct observation of the velocity distribution of the $|n=0〉$ and $|n=1〉$ Fock states is obtained by an absorption imaging technique.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.59.r8

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We describe the preparation of Fock states of motion of cesium atoms trapped in potential wells of a far detuned optical lattice. Direct observation of the velocity distribution of the ∣n=0〉|n=0〉∣n=0〉 and ∣n=1〉|n=1〉∣n=1〉 Fock states is obtained by an absorption imaging technique.
Cold Cs atoms are cooled into the ground state ( n=0n\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0n=0) of a far detuned 1D optical lattice. From this state, we prepare and detect several quantum states of motion. First, we produce squeezed states of n=0n\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0n=0 (and n=1n\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1n=1) and record the time evolution of the velocity distribution of these states. A velocity distribution compressed by a factor of 4 compared to that of the ground state is obtained. Second, we prepare a linear superposition of n=0n\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}0n=0 and n=1n\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1n=1 and observe its time evolution.
Advances in the preparation and detection, but most importantly in the coherent manipulation of single neutral atoms have allowed the observation of intriguing phenomena of quantum physics in recent years. We discuss developments to prepare and detect single neutral atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice potential with single site resolution. Moreover, using two different experimental techniques, a state-dependent optical lattice potential on the one hand and a high-finesse optical cavity on the other hand, we have obtained coherent control over single neutral atoms. The former has enabled us to observe the quantum walk of atoms in position space, and to coherently control the motion of trapped atoms via microwave radiation. The latter offers a means to non-destructively detect the atomic spin state, thereby revealing quantum jumps of single atoms, or the altered optical properties of single atoms when subject to electromagnetically-induced transparency.
We describe a simple technique to prepare Fock states of the motion of an atom trapped in a harmonic potential. The method is based on using two lasers which interact with a weak and strong transition of the atom successively. Application of a well-defined pulse length on the weak transition leaves the population of some states out of the oscillator manifold unchanged (trapping states). Interaction on the strong transition with a second laser is used to repopulate one of these states via a third intermediate level.
A single ion trapped in a harmonic potential and laser cooled at the node of a standing wave can be described in terms of the Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian known in quantum optics. Similar to nonclassical states of light we propose to prepare nonclassical states of the ion motion in a harmonic trap. In particular, several schemes for the preparation of Fock states are presented, and techniques for the preparation of squeezed states and coherent states of the ion motion are indicated. For an observation of these nonclassical states we propose to measure quantum collapse and revival in the population inversion of a single trapped ion.