Optics Express

High-powered optical superlattice with robust phase stability for quantum gas microscopy

Meng-Da Li, Wan Lin, An Luo, Wei-Yong Zhang, Hui Kai Sun, Bo Xiao, Yong-Guang Zheng, Zhen-Sheng Yuan, Jian-Wei Pan

Published Apr 12, 2021• 15 citations

Abstract

Optical superlattice has a wide range of applications in the study of ultracold atom physics. Especially, it can be used to trap and manipulate thousands of atom pairs in parallel which constitutes a promising system for quantum simulation and quantum computation. In the present work, we report on a high-power optical superlattice formed by a 532-nm and 1064-nm dual-wavelength interferometer with a short lattice spacing of 630 nm. The short-term fluctuation (in 10 seconds) of the relative phase between the short lattice and the long lattice is measured to be 0.003π, which satisfies the needs for performing two-qubit gates among neighboring lattice sites. We further implement this superlattice in a 87Rb experiment with a quantum gas microscope of single-site resolution, where the high-power 532-nm laser is necessary for pinning atoms in the short lattice during imaging, providing a unique platform for engineering quantum states.

DOI: 10.1364/oe.423776

Related papers

A high-power and low-noise 532-nm continuous-wave laser for quantum gas microscopy

Meng-Da Li, Yong-Guang Zheng, Wei-Yong Zhang +7 more

Low-noise, high-power 532-nm lasers are of great interest in many scientific research studies, such as gravitational wave detection and ultracold atom experiments. In particular, in the experiments of quantum gas microscopy, a large power of laser is necessary during the imaging process, while low noise is important for preventing the atoms from being heated up. In this work, we report on the generation of such a 532-nm continuous-wave laser by coherently combining two laser beams produced by single-pass second-harmonic generation. The power of the combined laser is up to 17 W. With the help of intensity stabilization, we are able to suppress the relative intensity noise to below -120 dBc/Hz. The generated laser satisfies the experimental requirements for integrating optical superlattices with a quantum gas microscope.

Review of Scientific InstrumentsAug 1, 20216 citations

Implementation of a stable, high-power optical lattice for quantum gas microscopy

A. Mazurenko, S. Blatt, F. Huber +5 more

We describe the design and implementation of a stable high-power 1064 nm laser system to generate optical lattices for experiments with ultracold quantum gases. The system is based on a low-noise laser amplified by an array of four heavily modified, high-power fiber amplifiers. The beam intensity is stabilized and controlled with a nonlinear feedback loop. Using real-time monitoring of the resulting optical lattice, we find the stability of the lattice site positions to be well below the lattice spacing over the course of hours. The position of the harmonic trap produced by the Gaussian envelope of the lattice beams is stable to about one lattice spacing and the long-term (six-month) relative root-mean-square stability of the lattice spacing itself is 0.5%.

arXiv:1806.08997Review of Scientific InstrumentsMar 1, 201912 citations

Implementation of a stable, high-power optical lattice for quantum gas microscopy

Anton Mazurenko, Sebastian Blatt, Huber, F. +5 more

Mar 1, 201910 citations

Ultracold Fermions in an Ultrastable Optical Superlattice

Janek Fleper

Ultracold atoms in optical lattices provide a versatile platform for studying many-body physics in a defect-free system with tunable parameters. For the analog quantum simulation of the Fermi-Hubbard model, fermionic atoms take on the role of the valence electrons and optical lattices provide the periodic potential in place of the solid-state crystal. The dynamics in the system are described by the tunneling amplitude t between neighboring lattice sites and the interaction energy U of two particles occupying the same lattice site. With the depth of the optical lattices and an external magnetic field, both parameters can be tuned to access a wide range of regimes. Two superimposed lattices with different lattice periods form an optical superlattice, where the most common configuration is a bichromatic superlattice with lattice periods different by a factor of two. Depending on the lattice depths and the relative phase of the lattices, the bichromatic superlattice potential ranges from an array of weakly-coupled double wells to a continuous lattice potential with a staggered energy offset. We developed a calibration technique for measuring the depth of an optical lattice with local resolution. The band structure of the optical lattice is probed by modulating the lattice depth and exciting the atoms to higher bands. However, compared to resolving the band occupations in a time-of-flight measurement, we further excite the atoms to an untrapped band to deplete the optical lattice along equipotential lines where the modulation frequency is resonant with the local band transitions. From the profile of the lattice depth, we obtain the calibration factor for the power regulation, the waist of the underlying lattice beams and the position of the lattice axis. This technique combines several calibration measurements, thereby reducing the measurement time and enabling an automation of the lattice alignment. For the bichromatic superlattice we realized an active stabilization of the superlattice phase that enables long-term measurements with a precise control over the superlattice phase. The instability of the superlattice phase is a result of the different refractive indices for the two lattices in air and the optical elements along the optical path. Using environmental sensors, we monitor the temperature, the pressure, and the relative humidity to apply the expected correction to the superlattice phase. The stabilized superlattice phase enabled the investigation of Floquet-driven double wells by modulating the energy offset through the superlattice phase. We used a near-resonant driving frequency with respect to the interaction energy to enhance the pair-tunneling amplitude in doubly-occupied double wells compared to static double wells and compared to the tunneling amplitude in singly-occupied double wells.

Oct 5, 20260 citations

Low-noise and high-power second harmonic generation of 532 nm laser for trapping ultracold atoms

Xuan-Kai Wang, Zhaoyu Zhou, Meng-Da Li +5 more

Optical lattices for coherently manipulating ultracold atoms demand high-power, low-noise, narrow-line-width, and continuous-wave lasers. Here, we report the implementation of a 30 W 532 nm low-noise laser by second harmonic generation from a 1064 nm fiber laser, which is capable to generate optical lattices for a quantum gas microscope of Rb87 atoms. The overall conversion efficiency is 59% at an input power of 51 W with a lithium triborate crystal coupled to a ring cavity. The relative intensity noise of the output laser is suppressed to -120 dBc/Hz in the range of 10 Hz-100 kHz with a high dynamic range of over 50 dB, which is suitable for long-term trapping and coherent manipulation of the quantum gases.

Review of Scientific InstrumentsDec 1, 20226 citations

Engineered potentials and dynamics of ultracold quantum gases under the microscope

Ruichao Ma

In this thesis, I present experiments on making and probing strongly correlated gases of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice with engineered potentials and dynamics. The quantum gas microscope first developed in our lab enables single-site resolution imaging and manipulation of atoms in a two-dimensional lattice, offering an ideal platform for quantum simulation of condensed matter systems. Here we demonstrate our abilities to generate optical potential with high precision and high resolution, and engineer coherent dynamics using photon assisted tunneling. We also create a system of bilayer quantum gases that brings new imaging capabilities and extends the possible range of our quantum simulation.

Jun 6, 20141 citation