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Real-time detection of Rydberg excitation dynamics of cold atoms in an optical cavity

Elmer Suarez, Sebastian Slama

Published Sep 30, 2021• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We report on the real-time detection of internal-state dynamics of cold Rubidium atoms being excited from the ground state to the $30D_{5/2}$ Rydberg state via two-photon excitation in a ladder-type system. The atoms are first trapped and then released from a magneto-optic trap (MOT) positioned inside the mode of a low-finesse cavity. Then, Rydberg excitation is performed by a simultaneous pulse from two counter-propagating laser beams transverse to the cavity axis. This excitation changes the number of atoms able to absorb or emit cavity photons; thus, changing the collective atom-cavity coupling. We detect this by weakly driving the cavity and collecting the light transmitted through it with an avalanche photodiode (APD). We are able to observe not only the 2-photon excitation dynamics, but also the transfer of population out of the Rydberg state due to black-body radiation (BBR) and the decay back to the ground state.

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We report on the real-time detection of internal-state dynamics of cold Rubidium atoms being excited from the ground state to the 30D5/230D_{5/2}30D5/2​ Rydberg state via two-photon excitation in a ladder-type system. The atoms are first trapped and then released from a magneto-optic trap (MOT) positioned inside the mode of a low-finesse cavity. Then, Rydberg excitation is performed by a simultaneous pulse from two counter-propagating laser beams transverse to the cavity axis. This excitation changes the number of atoms able to absorb or emit cavity photons; thus, changing the collective atom-cavity coupling. We detect this by weakly driving the cavity and collecting the light transmitted through it with an avalanche photodiode (APD). We are able to observe not only the 2-photon excitation dynamics, but also the transfer of population out of the Rydberg state due to black-body radiation (BBR) and the decay back to the ground state.
Abstract The temporal dynamics of three-photon 5S1/2 → 5P3/2 → 6S1/2 → 39P3/2 laser excitation of mesoscopic ensembles of cold Rb atoms to Rydberg states in a magneto-optical trap is studied using cw single-frequency lasers at each stage. The ensembles comprise N = 1 – 5 atoms and are detected by the method of selective field ionisation with postselection with respect to the number of atoms. The dependence of the excitation probability on the duration of the exciting laser pulses and the number of detected Rydberg atoms is investigated. At short interaction times, a linear increase in probabilities is observed, and at large times, the probabilities reach saturation, while each number of atoms has its own characteristic features. The experimental dependences are compared with the results of numerical calculations in the framework of a four-level model, and their good agreement is obtained. The conditions necessary for observing Rabi population oscillations are determined. The obtained results are important for the application of Rydberg atoms in quantum information.
Population dynamics in weakly excited clouds of ultracold 87Rb^{87}\text{R}\text{b}87Rb Rydberg atoms were studied by means of trap loss, fluorescence detection, and state-dependent stimulated emission. Rydberg atoms were excited to various nlnlnl Rydberg states via continuous two-photon excitation from a magneto-optical trap. A stimulated emission probe laser was then used to bring the Rydberg atoms down to the 6P3/26{P}_{3/2}6P3/2​ state, allowing state-dependent detection of the Rydberg atoms. Measurements of trap loss and fluorescent emission reveal information about the evolution of the Rydberg populations. In particular, population in the initial Rydberg state quickly transfers to other Rydberg states by a noncollisional mechanism, likely superradiant emission. The trap-loss measurements are consistent with black-body ionization as the dominant loss mechanism.
Summary form only given. The strong atom-photon coupling generated inside high-finesse optical micro cavity lets us detect a single atom trajectory in real time. Such a strong coupling is a candidate for trapping a single atom with a single photon. Dynamics of trapped atoms can be observed in situ and in real time by detecting intensity change on the transmission of a blue-shifted laser beam. We cooled down and trapped rubidium atoms by using conventional cell magneto optical trap (MOT) and launched them into the micro optical cavity which locates 35 mm above the MOT. By using this signal as trigger and changing the laser frequency, it is, in principle, possible to trap the atom in the cavity.
Abstract We experimentally characterize the optical nonlinear response of a cold atomic medium placed inside an optical cavity, and excited to Rydberg states. The excitation to S and D Rydberg levels is carried out via a two-photon transition in an electromagnetically induced transparency configuration, with a weak (red) probe beam on the lower transition, and a strong (blue) coupling beam on the upper transition. The observed optical nonlinearities induced by S states for the probe beam can be explained using a semi-classical model with van der Waals’ interactions. For the D states, it appears necessary to take into account a dynamical decay of Rydberg excitations into a long-lived dark state. We show that the measured nonlinearities can be explained by using a Rydberg bubble model with a dynamical decay.
We study the dynamics of a system composed of two coupled cavities, each interacting with a single Rydberg atom. The interplay between Rydberg-Rydberg interaction and photon hopping enables the transition of the atoms from the collective ground state to the double Rydberg excitation state by individually interacting with the optical normal modes and suppressing the upconversion process between them. The atomic transition is accompanied by the two-photon absorption and emission of the normal modes. Since the energy level structure of the atom-cavity system is photon number dependent there is only a pair of states being in the two-photon resonance. Therefore, the system can act as a quantum nonlinear absorption filter through the nonclassical quantum process, converting coherent light field into a nonclassical state. Meanwhile, the vacuum field in the cavity inspires the Rydberg atoms to simultaneously emit two photons into the normal mode, resulting in obvious emission enhancement of the mode.
We have measured the radiative lifetimes of ns, np and nd Rydberg states of rubidium in the range 28 < n < 45. To enable long-lived states to be measured, our experiment uses slow-moving Rb atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Two experimental techniques have been adopted to reduce random and systematic errors. First, a narrow-bandwidth pulsed laser is used to excite the target Rydberg state, resulting in minimal shot-to-shot variation in the initial state population. Second, we monitor the target state population as a function of time delay from the laser pulse using a short-duration, millimetre-wave pulse that is resonant with a one- or two-photon transition. We then selectively field ionize the monitor state, and detect the resulting electrons with a micro-channel plate. This signal is an accurate mirror of the target state population, and is uncontaminated by contributions from other states which are populated by black body radiation. Our results are generally consistent with other recent experimental results obtained using a less sensitive method, and are also in excellent agreement with theory.