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Ultrahigh-precision Rydberg atomic localization using optical vortices

Ning Jia, Teodora Kirova, Gediminas Juzeliūnas, Hamid Reza Hamedi, Jing Qian

Published May 21, 2020• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We propose a robust localization of the highly-excited Rydberg atoms, interacting with doughnut-shaped optical vortices. Compared with the earlier standing-wave (SW)-based localization methods, a vortex beam can provide an ultrahigh-precision two-dimensional localization solely in the zero-intensity center, within a confined excitation region down to the nanometer scale. We show that the presence of the Rydberg-Rydberg interaction permits counter-intuitively much stronger confinement towards a high spatial resolution when it is partially compensated by a suitable detuning. In addition, applying an auxiliary SW modulation to the two-photon detuning allows a three-dimensional confinement of Rydberg atoms. In this case, the vortex field provides a transverse confinement while the SW modulation of the two-photon detuning localizes the Rydberg atoms longitudinally. To develop a new subwavelength localization technique, our results pave one-step closer to reduce excitation volumes to the level of a few nanometers, representing a feasible implementation for the future experimental applications.

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We propose a robust localization of the highly-excited Rydberg atoms, interacting with doughnut-shaped optical vortices. Compared with the earlier standing-wave (SW)-based localization methods, a vortex beam can provide an ultrahigh-precision two-dimensional localization solely in the zero-intensity center, within a confined excitation region down to the nanometer scale. We show that the presence of the Rydberg-Rydberg interaction permits counter-intuitively much stronger confinement towards a high spatial resolution when it is partially compensated by a suitable detuning. In addition, applying an auxiliary SW modulation to the two-photon detuning allows a three-dimensional confinement of Rydberg atoms. In this case, the vortex field provides a transverse confinement while the SW modulation of the two-photon detuning localizes the Rydberg atoms longitudinally. To develop a new subwavelength localization technique, our results pave one-step closer to reduce excitation volumes to the level of a few nanometers, representing a feasible implementation for the future experimental applications.
We propose a robust localization of the highly-excited Rydberg atoms interacting with doughnut-shaped optical vortices. Compared with the earlier standing-wave (SW)-based localization methods, a vortex beam can provide an ultraprecise two-dimensional localization solely in the zero-intensity center, within a confined excitation region down to the nanometer scale. We show that the presence of the Rydberg-Rydberg interaction permits counter-intuitively much stronger confinement towards a high spatial resolution when it is partially compensated by a suitable detuning. In addition, applying an auxiliary SW modulation to the two-photon detuning allows a three-dimensional confinement of Rydberg atoms. In this case, the vortex field provides a transverse confinement, while the SW modulation of the two-photon detuning localizes the Rydberg atoms longitudinally. To develop a new subwavelength localization technique, our results pave a path one step closer to reducing excitation volumes to the level of a few nanometers, representing a feasible implementation for the future experimental applications.
Optical lattices serve as fundamental building blocks for atomic quantum technology. However, the scale and resolution of these lattices are diffraction-limited to the light wavelength. In conventional lattices, achieving tight confinement of single sites requires high laser intensity, which unfortunately leads to reduced coherence due to increased scattering. This article presents a novel approach for creating an atomic optical lattice with a sub-wavelength spatial structure. The potential is generated by leveraging the nonlinear optical response of three-level Rydberg-dressed atoms, which allows us to overcome the diffraction limit of the driving fields. The resulting lattice comprises a three-dimensional array of ultra-narrow Lorentzian wells over nanometer scales. These unprecedented scales can now be accessed through a hybrid scheme that combines the dipolar interaction and optical twist of atomic eigenstates. The interaction-induced two-body resonance that forms the trapping potential, only occurs at a peculiar laser intensity, localizing the trap sites to ultra-narrow regions over the standing-wave driving field. The feasibility study shows that single-atom confinement in Lorentzian sites with 3nm width, and 37MHz depth are realizable with available lasers. The development of these ultra-narrow trapping techniques holds great promise for applications such as Rydberg-Fermi gates, atomtronics, quantum walks, Hubbard models, and neutral-atom quantum simulation.
We investigate the possibility to attain strongly confined atomic localization using interacting Rydberg atoms in a coherent population trapping ladder configuration, where a standing-wave is used as a coupling field in the second leg of the ladder. Depending on the degree of compensation for the Rydberg level energy shift induced by the van der Waals interaction, by the coupling field detuning, we distinguish between two antiblockade regimes, i.e., a partial antiblockade (PA) and a full antiblockade. While a periodic pattern of tightly localized regions can be achieved for both regimes, the PA allows much faster convergence of spatial confinement, yielding a high-resolution Rydberg state-selective superlocalization regime for higher-lying Rydberg levels. In comparison, for lower-lying Rydberg levels, the PA leads to an anomalous change of spectra linewidth, confirming the importance of using a stable uppermost state to achieve a superlocalization regime.
Abstract In this study we theoretically demonstrate ultrahigh-resolution two-dimensional atomic localization within a three-level λ -type atomic medium via superposition of asymmetric and symmetric standing wave fields. Our analysis provides an understanding of the precise spatial localization of atomic positions at the atomic level, utilizing advanced theoretical approaches and principles of quantum mechanics. The dynamical behavior of a three-level atomic system is thoroughly analyzed using the density matrix formalism within the realm of quantum mechanics. A theoretical approach is constructed to describe the interaction between the system and external fields, specifically a control field and a probe field. The absorption spectrum of the probe field is thoroughly examined to clarify the spatial localization of the atom within the proposed configuration. A theoretical investigation found that symmetric and asymmetric superposition phenomena significantly influence the localized peaks within a two-dimensional spatial domain. Specifically, the emergence of one and two sharp localized peaks was observed within a one-wavelength domain. We observed notable influences of the intensity of the control field, probe field detuning and decay rates on atomic localization. Ultimately, we have achieved an unprecedented level of ultrahigh resolution and precision in localizing an atom within an area smaller than λ /35 × λ /35. These findings hold promise for potential applications in fields such as Bose–Einstein condensation, nanolithography, laser cooling, trapping of neutral atoms and the measurement of center-of-mass wave functions.
Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) atom localization at subwavelength scales is of critical interest for advanced applications in nanolithography and laser cooling. Despite significant efforts, achieving high spatial resolution in all three dimensions remains a challenging task. In this work, we propose and analytically investigate a novel scheme for 3D subwavelength atom localization using a closed-loop five-level atomic system driven by a phase-controlled microwave field. The localization mechanism is based on the position-dependent absorption of a weak probe field in the presence of three orthogonal standing-wave coupling fields. The inclusion of a magnetically allowed microwave transition introduces a controllable relative phase ( ϕ ), enabling coherent control over the atomic spatial distribution. Our analysis demonstrates that, by judiciously tuning the system parameters—including probe detuning, relative phase, and quantum interference arising from spontaneous emission—the atom can be localized to a highly confined region with a spatial resolution as high as ∼ 0.03 λ , where λ is the optical wavelength. The results highlight the critical role of phase control and coherent field interaction in enhancing the localization precision. This technique offers a robust and versatile tool for achieving high-resolution 3D atom localization and may pave the way for practical implementations in nanoscale fabrication and quantum technologies.
Atom localization enables a high-precision imaging of the atomic position, which has provided vast applications in fundamental and applied science. In the present work, we propose a scheme for realizing two-dimensional off-axis atom localization in a three-level Λ system. Benefiting from the use of a hybrid coupling field, which consists of one Gaussian beam and one Laguerre–Gaussian beam, our scheme shows that the atoms can be localized at arbitrary position with high spatial resolution. Considering realistic experimental parameters, our numerical simulation predicts that the atoms can be precisely localized with a spatial resolution of ∼200 nm in the range of a radial distance of a few micrometers to the beam core. Our results provide a more flexible way to localize atoms in a two-dimensional system, possibly paving one-step closer to the nanometer scale atom lithography and ultraprecise microscopy.