Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physica Scripta

Strong Interactions of Single Atoms and Photons in Cavity QED

Harry J. Kimble

Published Jan 1, 1998• 559 citations
Publisher

Abstract

An important development in modern physics is the emerging capability for investigations of dynamical processes for open quantum systems in a regime of strong coupling for which individual quanta play a decisive role. Of particular significance in this context is research in cavity quantum electrodynamics which explores quantum dynamical processes for individual atoms strongly coupled to the electromagnetic field of a resonator. An overview of the research activities in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech is presented with an emphasis on strong coupling in cavity QED which enables exploration of a new regime of nonlinear optics with single atoms and photons.

DOI
10.1238/physica.topical.076a00127

Related papers

Non-classical light 20 years later: an assessment of the voyage into Hilbert space

Harry J. Kimble

Although diverse manifestations of the quantum or non–classical character of the electromagnetic field have arisen over the past two decades in quantum optics, almost without exception these observations have been made in a domain of weak coupling for which dissipation is dominant over the coherent dynamical processes associated with single quanta. By contrast, research in the area of cavity quantum electrodynamics has achieved the exceptional circumstance of strong coupling for the interaction of individual atoms with the quantized field of a high–quality resonator. The research programs in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech attempt to explore quantum dynamical processes in this domain of strong coupling, and include investigations of photon antibunching due to quantum–state reduction, of the implementation of quantum logic with single photons, of new avenues for quantum–state synthesis and of atomic centre–of–mass motion for single atoms falling one–by–one through the field of a high–finesse optical cavity.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences•Dec 15, 1997•11 citations

Measurement and control of individual quanta in cavity QED

T. W. Lynn

Cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) in the strong-coupling regime provides the opportunity to monitor and control the dynamics of a simple quantum system. A single Cesium atom interacts strongly with single-photon fields in the mode of a high-finesse optical cavity. When the resulting coherent coupling rate dominates dissipation in the system, strong coupling is realized and the system displays distinctively quantum behavior. The coupling between atomic internal states and the quantized cavity field allows for diverse protocols in quantum state preparation, quantum communication, and quantum logic. However, the atom's external or motional state must also be taken into account. My research develops cavity QED in the limit where the coherent atom-field coupling dominates the atomic kinetic energy and thus significantly affects the atomic center-of-mass motion. In this regime, the interaction of the atom with the cavity field provides both a means of controlling atomic motion and a signal for detecting that motion in real time with high signal-to-noise. The sensing capability of the ``atom-cavity microscope" is exploited to trap single atoms with single-photon fields and to monitor their orbits in real time as they are bound in the cavity. Such real-time position sensing is the basis for a detailed strategy and ongoing experiment to actively stabilize select aspects of an atom's motion within the cavity. As the cavity-enabled position measurement approaches the standard quantum limit, this work begins to realize a quantum servo for atomic position and to address questions of optimal state estimation and state preparation. In combination with other progress in cavity QED, it furthers the goal of controlled atom-field interactions for quantum information science.

•May 22, 2003•5 citations

QUANTUM OPTICS WITH SINGLE ATOMS AND PHOTONS

Harry J. Kimble

This research program investigated the dynamics of open quantum systems in manifestly quantum or nonclassical domains. The research program exploited recently discovered possibilities in the microscopic realm of quantum mechanics to accomplish tasks that would otherwise be impossible by traditional classical means, including new capabilities for precision measurement and for the processing and distribution of information. Within this setting, the particular investigations related to strong coupling in optical physics whereby nonlinear interactions require only single atoms and photons. The research achieved capabilities beyond traditional nonlinear optics and laser physics and moved into a new regime with dynamical processes involving atoms and photons taken one by one. The research program addressed fundamental issues related to quantum metrology, to quantum communications, and to the general development of quantum information sciences. The most important accomplishments of this work have been the following: (1) The first demonstration of a laser that operates with a single atom; (2) The first realization of a deterministic source for single photons that generates single photons "on demand" from one atom trapped in a cavity; (3) The development of a protocol for the real-time determination of the number of trapped atoms inside an optical cavity in a regime of strong coupling, with N = 0,1,2,3...atoms; and (4) The first experiment to achieve manifestly quantum or nonclassical photon correlations suitable for the implementation of scalable quantum communications networks.

Foundations of Quantum Mechanics in the Light of New Technology•Jun 1, 2006•0 citations

Cavity QED with Single Atoms and Photons

Tracy E. Northup

Recent experimental advances in the field of cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) have opened new possibilities for control of atom‐photon interactions. A laser with “one and the same atom” demonstrates the theory of laser operation pressed to its conceptual limit. The generation of single photons on demand and the realization of cavity QED with well defined atomic numbers N = 0, 1, 2,… both represent important steps toward realizing diverse protocols in quantum information science. Coherent manipulation of the atomic state via Raman transitions provides a new tool in cavity QED for in situ monitoring and control of the atom‐cavity system. All of these achievements share a common point of departure: the regime of strong coupling. It is thus interesting to consider briefly the history of the strong coupling criterion in cavity QED and to trace out the path that research has taken in the pursuit of this goal.

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2005•3 citations

Single atoms in optical traps and high-Q cavities

Harry J. Kimble, Zhilin Hu, Q. A. Turchette

A variety of experiments are underway in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech which investigate the quantum nature of atom-field interactions at the level of individual atoms and quanta. A recent technical advance in support of this research is the observation of cooling and trapping of single neutral cesium atoms in magneto-optical trap. Discrete steps are recorded in the fluorescence signal from the trap and are associated with the arrival and departure of individual trapped atoms. Such a spatially localized sample of a single atom with small kinetic energy is an enabling advance for diverse studies in quantum optics, including the possibility of spectroscopy with squeezed and other forms of nonclassical light and cavity quantum electrodynamics with strong coupling of an atom to the field of an optical cavity.

Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Apr 7, 1995•0 citations

Real-time tracking and trapping of single atoms in cavity QED

Harry J. Kimble

Cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) offers powerful possibilities for the deterministic control of atom-photon interactions quantum by quantum [1]. Indeed, modern experiments in cavity QED have achieved the exceptional circumstance of strong coupling, for which single quanta can profoundly impact the dynamics of the atom-cavity system. The diverse accomplishments of this field set the stage for advances into yet broader frontiers in quantum information science for which cavity QED offers unique advantages, such as the realization of quantum networks by way of multiple atom-cavity systems linked by optical interconnects [2,3].

AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2001•1 citation
An important development in modern physics is the emerging capability for investigations of dynamical processes for open quantum systems in a regime of strong coupling for which individual quanta play a decisive role. Of particular significance in this context is research in cavity quantum electrodynamics which explores quantum dynamical processes for individual atoms strongly coupled to the electromagnetic field of a resonator. An overview of the research activities in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech is presented with an emphasis on strong coupling in cavity QED which enables exploration of a new regime of nonlinear optics with single atoms and photons.
Although diverse manifestations of the quantum or non–classical character of the electromagnetic field have arisen over the past two decades in quantum optics, almost without exception these observations have been made in a domain of weak coupling for which dissipation is dominant over the coherent dynamical processes associated with single quanta. By contrast, research in the area of cavity quantum electrodynamics has achieved the exceptional circumstance of strong coupling for the interaction of individual atoms with the quantized field of a high–quality resonator. The research programs in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech attempt to explore quantum dynamical processes in this domain of strong coupling, and include investigations of photon antibunching due to quantum–state reduction, of the implementation of quantum logic with single photons, of new avenues for quantum–state synthesis and of atomic centre–of–mass motion for single atoms falling one–by–one through the field of a high–finesse optical cavity.
Cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) in the strong-coupling regime provides the opportunity to monitor and control the dynamics of a simple quantum system. A single Cesium atom interacts strongly with single-photon fields in the mode of a high-finesse optical cavity. When the resulting coherent coupling rate dominates dissipation in the system, strong coupling is realized and the system displays distinctively quantum behavior. The coupling between atomic internal states and the quantized cavity field allows for diverse protocols in quantum state preparation, quantum communication, and quantum logic. However, the atom's external or motional state must also be taken into account. My research develops cavity QED in the limit where the coherent atom-field coupling dominates the atomic kinetic energy and thus significantly affects the atomic center-of-mass motion. In this regime, the interaction of the atom with the cavity field provides both a means of controlling atomic motion and a signal for detecting that motion in real time with high signal-to-noise. The sensing capability of the ``atom-cavity microscope" is exploited to trap single atoms with single-photon fields and to monitor their orbits in real time as they are bound in the cavity. Such real-time position sensing is the basis for a detailed strategy and ongoing experiment to actively stabilize select aspects of an atom's motion within the cavity. As the cavity-enabled position measurement approaches the standard quantum limit, this work begins to realize a quantum servo for atomic position and to address questions of optimal state estimation and state preparation. In combination with other progress in cavity QED, it furthers the goal of controlled atom-field interactions for quantum information science.
This research program investigated the dynamics of open quantum systems in manifestly quantum or nonclassical domains. The research program exploited recently discovered possibilities in the microscopic realm of quantum mechanics to accomplish tasks that would otherwise be impossible by traditional classical means, including new capabilities for precision measurement and for the processing and distribution of information. Within this setting, the particular investigations related to strong coupling in optical physics whereby nonlinear interactions require only single atoms and photons. The research achieved capabilities beyond traditional nonlinear optics and laser physics and moved into a new regime with dynamical processes involving atoms and photons taken one by one. The research program addressed fundamental issues related to quantum metrology, to quantum communications, and to the general development of quantum information sciences. The most important accomplishments of this work have been the following: (1) The first demonstration of a laser that operates with a single atom; (2) The first realization of a deterministic source for single photons that generates single photons "on demand" from one atom trapped in a cavity; (3) The development of a protocol for the real-time determination of the number of trapped atoms inside an optical cavity in a regime of strong coupling, with N = 0,1,2,3...atoms; and (4) The first experiment to achieve manifestly quantum or nonclassical photon correlations suitable for the implementation of scalable quantum communications networks.
Recent experimental advances in the field of cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) have opened new possibilities for control of atom‐photon interactions. A laser with “one and the same atom” demonstrates the theory of laser operation pressed to its conceptual limit. The generation of single photons on demand and the realization of cavity QED with well defined atomic numbers N = 0, 1, 2,… both represent important steps toward realizing diverse protocols in quantum information science. Coherent manipulation of the atomic state via Raman transitions provides a new tool in cavity QED for in situ monitoring and control of the atom‐cavity system. All of these achievements share a common point of departure: the regime of strong coupling. It is thus interesting to consider briefly the history of the strong coupling criterion in cavity QED and to trace out the path that research has taken in the pursuit of this goal.
A variety of experiments are underway in the Quantum Optics Group at Caltech which investigate the quantum nature of atom-field interactions at the level of individual atoms and quanta. A recent technical advance in support of this research is the observation of cooling and trapping of single neutral cesium atoms in magneto-optical trap. Discrete steps are recorded in the fluorescence signal from the trap and are associated with the arrival and departure of individual trapped atoms. Such a spatially localized sample of a single atom with small kinetic energy is an enabling advance for diverse studies in quantum optics, including the possibility of spectroscopy with squeezed and other forms of nonclassical light and cavity quantum electrodynamics with strong coupling of an atom to the field of an optical cavity.
Cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) offers powerful possibilities for the deterministic control of atom-photon interactions quantum by quantum [1]. Indeed, modern experiments in cavity QED have achieved the exceptional circumstance of strong coupling, for which single quanta can profoundly impact the dynamics of the atom-cavity system. The diverse accomplishments of this field set the stage for advances into yet broader frontiers in quantum information science for which cavity QED offers unique advantages, such as the realization of quantum networks by way of multiple atom-cavity systems linked by optical interconnects [2,3].