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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference

Single beam optical trap with an axicon lens

S. Aubin, Steven Christe, Boris Peker, Luis A. Orozco

Published Jan 1, 2000• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Summary form only given. Precision optical spectroscopy requires good control over the motion of the atoms to reduce Doppler broadening. It also benefits from long interaction times between the probe radiation and the atoms in a perturbation-free environment. We have implemented an optical trap that captures cold atoms in a region of darkness. Such a set-up is critical for measuring the fundamental interactions of nature through precise spectroscopic studies.

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Summary form only given. Blue-detuned optical traps confine neutral atoms mostly in the dark, therefore reducing the perturbations induced by the trapping light on the atoms. Recently, traps based on a single laser beam were demonstrated, providing greater experimental simplicity and enabling dynamical changes of the trap geometry and strength. However, all these traps have a large difference in the potential strength in the radial and axial directions, resulting in a very inefficient use of the available laser power, and a poor loading efficiency from the magneto-optical trap. In this work we present a novel optical scheme to generate an optimal trap, which maximizes the trap depth, and greatly reduces the light-induced perturbations to the atoms. This is achieved by surrounding a dark volume with a light envelope having (a) an almost minimal surface area for a given volume, (b) the minimal wall thickness allowed by diffraction, and (c) an almost constant wall height on every point on the envelope. The stiffness of the walls, combined with the large detuning allowed by the efficient distribution of light intensity, yield a very low photon scattering rate for the trapped atoms.

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Summary form only given. Utilizing cold and trapped atoms for precision spectroscopy of weak atomic transitions has two important advantages: the suppression of Doppler and time-of-flight broadenings and a combination of long interaction times, weak perturbations and tight confinement, which can be obtained using dark optical traps. We present a new and extremely sensitive method for measuring weak transitions with cold atoms in a dark optical trap, using electron shelving spectroscopy. Our scheme is based on a /spl Lambda/ system. Atoms with two ground states (for example, two hyperfine levels) are stored in the trap in a level that is coupled to the upper (excited) state, by an extremely weak transition. Atoms that undergo the weak transition may be shelved by a spontaneous Raman transition on the second ground level, which is uncoupled to the excited level by the measured photons. Finally, the detection scheme benefits from the multiply excited fluorescence of a strong closed transition from the uncoupled ground-state, that utilizes quantum amplification due to the electron shelving technique. We realized this scheme on a 5S/sub 1/2//spl rarr/5D/sub 5/2/ two-photon transition in cold and optically trapped /sup 85/Rb atoms.

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Atoms optically cooled and trapped can be conveniently studied by spectroscopy methods. Nonlinear absorption and four-wave mixing spectra of cold atoms are used for trap diagnostics and studies of subtle light-matter interactions.

European Quantum Electronics Conference (EQEC)•Jan 18, 2006•0 citations
Summary form only given. Precision optical spectroscopy requires good control over the motion of the atoms to reduce Doppler broadening. It also benefits from long interaction times between the probe radiation and the atoms in a perturbation-free environment. We have implemented an optical trap that captures cold atoms in a region of darkness. Such a set-up is critical for measuring the fundamental interactions of nature through precise spectroscopic studies.
Summary form only given. Blue-detuned optical traps confine neutral atoms mostly in the dark, therefore reducing the perturbations induced by the trapping light on the atoms. Recently, traps based on a single laser beam were demonstrated, providing greater experimental simplicity and enabling dynamical changes of the trap geometry and strength. However, all these traps have a large difference in the potential strength in the radial and axial directions, resulting in a very inefficient use of the available laser power, and a poor loading efficiency from the magneto-optical trap. In this work we present a novel optical scheme to generate an optimal trap, which maximizes the trap depth, and greatly reduces the light-induced perturbations to the atoms. This is achieved by surrounding a dark volume with a light envelope having (a) an almost minimal surface area for a given volume, (b) the minimal wall thickness allowed by diffraction, and (c) an almost constant wall height on every point on the envelope. The stiffness of the walls, combined with the large detuning allowed by the efficient distribution of light intensity, yield a very low photon scattering rate for the trapped atoms.
Summary form only given. Utilizing cold and trapped atoms for precision spectroscopy of weak atomic transitions has two important advantages: the suppression of Doppler and time-of-flight broadenings and a combination of long interaction times, weak perturbations and tight confinement, which can be obtained using dark optical traps. We present a new and extremely sensitive method for measuring weak transitions with cold atoms in a dark optical trap, using electron shelving spectroscopy. Our scheme is based on a /spl Lambda/ system. Atoms with two ground states (for example, two hyperfine levels) are stored in the trap in a level that is coupled to the upper (excited) state, by an extremely weak transition. Atoms that undergo the weak transition may be shelved by a spontaneous Raman transition on the second ground level, which is uncoupled to the excited level by the measured photons. Finally, the detection scheme benefits from the multiply excited fluorescence of a strong closed transition from the uncoupled ground-state, that utilizes quantum amplification due to the electron shelving technique. We realized this scheme on a 5S/sub 1/2//spl rarr/5D/sub 5/2/ two-photon transition in cold and optically trapped /sup 85/Rb atoms.