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

Oxford University Press eBooks

Detection of quantum systems realized with ultracold atoms

Maciej Lewenstein, Anna Sanpera, V. Ahufinger

Published Mar 8, 2012• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

This chapter is devoted to various detection methods that can be used for ultracold atoms, with emphasis on those which cannot be realised in condensed matter systems. It starts by discussing time of flight methods that allow measurement of first order correlations, and then explains time of flight methods and noise correlations, which allow for the determining of higher order correlations. Bragg Spectroscopy and optical Bragg diffraction are then presented. Finally, the chapter discusses the methods exclusive for ultracold atoms: single atom detectors and quantum polarization spectroscopy.

DOI
10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199573127.003.0014

Related papers

Probing and Controlling Strongly Correlated Quantum Many-Body Systems Using Ultracold Quantum Gases

Immanuel Bloch

Ultracold atoms in optical lattices provide an extremely clean and controllable setting to explore quantum many-body phases of matter. Here we give a brief review of the strong-correlation physics that has been realized using such ultracold atoms in optical lattices ranging from the realization of Hubbard models to studies of quantum magnetism and the detection of single atoms with lattice site resolution. All this has opened up fundamentally new opportunities for the investigation of quantum many-body systems. Introduction Over the past years, ultracold atoms in optical lattices have emerged as versatile new systems to explore the physics of quantum many-body systems. On the one hand, they can be helpful in gaining a better understanding of known phases of matter and their dynamical behavior; on the other hand, they allow one to realize completely novel quantum systems that have not been studied before in nature [1, 2, 3]. Commonly, the approach of exploring quantum many-body systems in such a way is referred to as “quantum simulations.” Examples of some of the first strongly interacting many-body phases that have been realized both in lattices and in the continuum include the quantum phase transition from a superfluid to a Mott insulator [4, 5, 6], fermionic Mott insulators [7, 8], the achievement of a Tonks- Girardeau gas [9, 10], and the realization of the Bose-Einsten condensate (BEC)– Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) crossover (see also Chapter 12) in Fermi gas mixture [11] using Feshbach resonances [12]. In almost all of these experiments, detection was limited to time-of-flight imaging or more refined derived techniques that mainly characterized the momentum distribution of the quantum gas [2]. For several years, researchers in the field have therefore aspired to employ in situ single-particle detection methods for the analysis of ultracold quantum gases. Only recently has it become possible to implement such imaging techniques, marking a milestone for the characterization and manipulation of ultracold quantum gases [13, 14, 15, 16, 17]. In our discussion, we will focus on one of the most successful of these techniques based on high-resolution fluorescence imaging. Despite being a rather new technique, such quantum gas microscopy has already proven to be an enabling technology for probing and manipulating quantum many-body systems. For the first time, controllable and strongly interacting many-body systems, as realized with ultracold atoms, could be observed on a local scale [17, 16].

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Oct 4, 2018•0 citations

Detecting Correlation Functions of Ultracold Atoms through Fourier Sampling of Time-of-Flight Images

L-M Duan

We propose a detection method for ultracold atoms which allows reconstruction of the full one-particle and two-particle correlation functions from the measurements. The method is based on Fourier sampling of the time-of-flight images through two consecutive impulsive Raman pulses. For applications of this method, we discuss a few examples, including detection of phase separation between superfluid and Mott insulators, various types of spin or superfluid orders, entanglement, exotic or fluctuating orders.

arXiv:cond-mat/0511678•Physical Review Letters•Mar 15, 2006•42 citations

Quantum Noise Correlation Experiments with Ultracold Atoms

Simon Fölling

Noise correlation analysis is a detection tool for spatial structures and spatial correlations in the in-trap density distribution of ultracold atoms. In this book chapter, we discuss the implementation, properties and limitations of the method applied to ensembles of ultracold atoms in optical lattices, and describe some instances where it has been applied.

arXiv:1403.6842•Cold atoms•Sep 28, 2014•6 citations

Photon counting for Bragg spectroscopy of quantum gases

J. M. Pino, Robert J. Wild, Philip Makotyn +2 more

We demonstrate a photon-counting technique for detecting Bragg excitation of an ultracold gas of atoms. By measuring the response of the light field to the atoms, we derive a signal independent of traditional time-of-flight atom-imaging techniques. With heterodyne detection we achieve photon shot-noise limited detection of the amplification or depletion of one of the Bragg laser beams. Photon counting for Bragg spectroscopy will be useful for strongly interacting gases where atom-imaging detection fails. In addition, this technique provides the ability to resolve the evolution of excitations as a function of pulse duration.

arXiv:1012.1574•Physical Review A•Mar 17, 2011•26 citations

Single atom detection in ultracold quantum gases: a review of current progress

Herwig Ott

The recent advances in single atom detection and manipulation in experiments with ultracold quantum gases are reviewed. The discussion starts with the basic principles of trapping, cooling and detecting single ions and atoms. The realization of single atom detection in ultracold quantum gases is presented in detail and the employed methods, which are based on light scattering, electron scattering, field ionization and direct neutral particle detection are discussed. The microscopic coherent manipulation of single atoms in a quantum gas is also covered. Various examples are given in order to highlight the power of these approaches to study many-body quantum systems.

arXiv:1602.08422•Reports on Progress in Physics•Apr 18, 2016•101 citations

Quantum polarization spectroscopy of correlations in attractive fermionic gases

Tommaso Roscilde, M Rodríguez, K. Eckert +4 more

We show how spin–spin correlations, detected in a non-destructive way via spatially resolved quantum polarization spectroscopy, strongly characterize various phases realized in trapped ultracold fermionic atoms. Polarization degrees of freedom of the light couple to spatially resolved components of the atomic spin. In this way, quantum fluctuations of matter are faithfully mapped onto those of light. In particular, we demonstrate that quantum spin polarization spectroscopy provides a direct method to detect the Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov phase realized in a one-dimensional imbalanced Fermi system.

arXiv:0901.3091•New Journal of Physics•May 14, 2009•51 citations
This chapter is devoted to various detection methods that can be used for ultracold atoms, with emphasis on those which cannot be realised in condensed matter systems. It starts by discussing time of flight methods that allow measurement of first order correlations, and then explains time of flight methods and noise correlations, which allow for the determining of higher order correlations. Bragg Spectroscopy and optical Bragg diffraction are then presented. Finally, the chapter discusses the methods exclusive for ultracold atoms: single atom detectors and quantum polarization spectroscopy.
Ultracold atoms in optical lattices provide an extremely clean and controllable setting to explore quantum many-body phases of matter. Here we give a brief review of the strong-correlation physics that has been realized using such ultracold atoms in optical lattices ranging from the realization of Hubbard models to studies of quantum magnetism and the detection of single atoms with lattice site resolution. All this has opened up fundamentally new opportunities for the investigation of quantum many-body systems. Introduction Over the past years, ultracold atoms in optical lattices have emerged as versatile new systems to explore the physics of quantum many-body systems. On the one hand, they can be helpful in gaining a better understanding of known phases of matter and their dynamical behavior; on the other hand, they allow one to realize completely novel quantum systems that have not been studied before in nature [1, 2, 3]. Commonly, the approach of exploring quantum many-body systems in such a way is referred to as “quantum simulations.” Examples of some of the first strongly interacting many-body phases that have been realized both in lattices and in the continuum include the quantum phase transition from a superfluid to a Mott insulator [4, 5, 6], fermionic Mott insulators [7, 8], the achievement of a Tonks- Girardeau gas [9, 10], and the realization of the Bose-Einsten condensate (BEC)– Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) crossover (see also Chapter 12) in Fermi gas mixture [11] using Feshbach resonances [12]. In almost all of these experiments, detection was limited to time-of-flight imaging or more refined derived techniques that mainly characterized the momentum distribution of the quantum gas [2]. For several years, researchers in the field have therefore aspired to employ in situ single-particle detection methods for the analysis of ultracold quantum gases. Only recently has it become possible to implement such imaging techniques, marking a milestone for the characterization and manipulation of ultracold quantum gases [13, 14, 15, 16, 17]. In our discussion, we will focus on one of the most successful of these techniques based on high-resolution fluorescence imaging. Despite being a rather new technique, such quantum gas microscopy has already proven to be an enabling technology for probing and manipulating quantum many-body systems. For the first time, controllable and strongly interacting many-body systems, as realized with ultracold atoms, could be observed on a local scale [17, 16].
We propose a detection method for ultracold atoms which allows reconstruction of the full one-particle and two-particle correlation functions from the measurements. The method is based on Fourier sampling of the time-of-flight images through two consecutive impulsive Raman pulses. For applications of this method, we discuss a few examples, including detection of phase separation between superfluid and Mott insulators, various types of spin or superfluid orders, entanglement, exotic or fluctuating orders.
We demonstrate a photon-counting technique for detecting Bragg excitation of an ultracold gas of atoms. By measuring the response of the light field to the atoms, we derive a signal independent of traditional time-of-flight atom-imaging techniques. With heterodyne detection we achieve photon shot-noise limited detection of the amplification or depletion of one of the Bragg laser beams. Photon counting for Bragg spectroscopy will be useful for strongly interacting gases where atom-imaging detection fails. In addition, this technique provides the ability to resolve the evolution of excitations as a function of pulse duration.
The recent advances in single atom detection and manipulation in experiments with ultracold quantum gases are reviewed. The discussion starts with the basic principles of trapping, cooling and detecting single ions and atoms. The realization of single atom detection in ultracold quantum gases is presented in detail and the employed methods, which are based on light scattering, electron scattering, field ionization and direct neutral particle detection are discussed. The microscopic coherent manipulation of single atoms in a quantum gas is also covered. Various examples are given in order to highlight the power of these approaches to study many-body quantum systems.
We show how spin–spin correlations, detected in a non-destructive way via spatially resolved quantum polarization spectroscopy, strongly characterize various phases realized in trapped ultracold fermionic atoms. Polarization degrees of freedom of the light couple to spatially resolved components of the atomic spin. In this way, quantum fluctuations of matter are faithfully mapped onto those of light. In particular, we demonstrate that quantum spin polarization spectroscopy provides a direct method to detect the Fulde–Ferrell–Larkin–Ovchinnikov phase realized in a one-dimensional imbalanced Fermi system.