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Quantum-Atom Optics Downunder (QAO)

Imaging of cold 85Rb atoms using electromagnetically induced transparency

Sebastian D. Saliba, David V. Sheludko, SC Bell, RE Scholten

Published Jan 1, 2007• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Imaging cold atom samples provides interesting opportunities for studying not only the external atomic distribution, but also the internal atomic state, particularly for atoms prepared in a coherent state. We have previously developed techniques for off-resonant imaging of a cold atom cloud, without optical elements, computationally extracting the atomic column density map from a diffraction pattern (diffraction contrast imaging or DCI). We are now combining two lasers and three atomic states in a Λ-system to explore atomic coherence via two-dimensional imaging of electromagnetically induced transparency.

DOI
10.1364/qao.2007.qwe34

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Imaging cold atom samples provides interesting opportunities for studying not only the external atomic distribution, but also the internal atomic state, particularly for atoms prepared in a coherent state. We have previously developed techniques for off-resonant imaging of a cold atom cloud, without optical elements, computationally extracting the atomic column density map from a diffraction pattern (diffraction contrast imaging or DCI). We are now combining two lasers and three atomic states in a Λ-system to explore atomic coherence via two-dimensional imaging of electromagnetically induced transparency.
We have investigated state-selective diffraction contrast imaging (DCI) of cold 85 Rb atoms in the first excited (5 2 P 3/2 ) state. Excited-state DCI requires knowledge of the complex refractive index of the atom cloud, which was calculated numerically using a semi-classical model. The Autler-Townes splitting predicted by the model was verified experimentally, showing excellent agreement. 780 nm lasers were used to cool and excite atoms within a magneto-optical trap, and the atoms were then illuminated by a 776 nm imaging laser. Several excited-state imaging techniques, including blue cascade fluorescence, on-resonance absorption, and DCI have been demonstrated. Initial results show that improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) will be required to accurately determine the excited state fraction. We have demonstrated magnetic field gradient compression of the cold atom cloud, and expect that further progress on compression and additional cooling will achieve sufficient diffraction contrast for quantitative state-selective imaging.
We consider the inverse problem of in-line holography, applied to minimally destructive imaging of cold atom clouds. Absorption imaging near resonance provides a simple, but destructive measurement of atom column density. Imaging off resonance greatly reduces heating, and sequential images may be taken. Under the conditions required for off-resonant imaging, the generally intractable inverse problem may be linearized. A minimally destructive, quantitative and high-resolution image of the atom cloud column density is then retrieved from a single diffraction pattern.
Atomic coherence phenomena are usually investigated using single beam techniques without spatial resolution. Here we demonstrate state-selective imaging of cold 85Rb^{85}\text{R}\text{b}85Rb atoms in a three-level ladder system, where the atomic refractive index is sensitive to the quantum coherence state of the atoms. We use a phase-sensitive diffraction contrast imaging (DCI) technique which depends on the complex refractive index of the atom cloud. A semiclassical model allows us to analytically calculate the detuning-dependent refractive index of the system. The predicted Autler-Townes splitting and our experimental measurements are in excellent agreement. DCI provided a quantitative image of the distribution of the excited-state fraction, and compared with on-resonance absorption and blue cascade fluorescence techniques, was found to be experimentally simple and robust.
We demonstrate a new imaging technique for cold atom clouds based on phase retrieval from a single diffraction measurement. Most single-shot diffractive imaging methods for cold atoms assume a monomorphic object to extract the column density. The method described here allows quantitative imaging of an inhomogeneous cloud, enabling recovery of either the atomic density or the refractive index, provided the other is known. Using ideas borrowed from density functional theory, we calculate the approximate paraxial diffracted intensity derivative from the measured diffracted intensity distribution and use it to solve the Transport of Intensity Equation (TIE) for the phase of the wave at the detector plane. Back-propagation to the object plane yields the object exit surface wave and then provides a quantitative measurement of either the atomic column density or refractive index. Images of homogeneous clouds showed good quantitative agreement with conventional techniques. An inhomogeneous cloud was created using a cascade electromagnetically induced transparency scheme and images of both phase and amplitude parts of refractive index across the cloud were separately retrieved, showing good agreement with theoretical results.
Electromagnetically induced grating (EIG) is extensively investigated as an artificial periodic structure in recent years owed to its simple reconfiguration and flexible adjustability. We report the experimental observation of EIG in cold rubidium atoms. The coupling and probe lasers are corresponding to the 5S1/2−5P1/2 and 5S1/2−5P3/2 transitions of a V-type electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) configuration, respectively. A clear spatial intensity distribution of the probe laser with distinguished third-order diffraction pattern is recorded to character the EIG. The influence of the pertinent experimental parameters, such as coupling laser intensity and two-photon detuning on the diffraction pattern is investigated in detail. This is the first observation in visual form of the EIG in cold rubidium atoms. These results may potentially provide a nondestructive method to image cold atoms and pave the way for investigating non-Hermitian physics and the control of light dynamics.