Atomic Mechanics*

Sankar Davuluri, Yong Li

Application of hybrid atom-mechanical oscillator for absolute rotation detection is studied. The hybrid atom-mechanical oscillator consists of an atomic cell, filled with three level atoms, which is fixed on a mechanical oscillator. The atom-mechanical oscillator is placed on a rotating table such that the Coriolis force moves the atomic cell with respect to the incoming laser field. Thus the atomic resonance frequencies are Doppler shifted, and the phase of the laser field interacting with the atomic medium changes. Absolute rotation parameters are estimated by measuring the phase change in the laser field at the output of the atomic cell. Large dispersion is created in the atomic medium, using electromagnetically induced transparency, to enhance the phase change in the laser field interacting with the atomic medium. Contribution of the shot noise, the atomic noise and the noise due to the mechanical oscillation of the atomic cell are studied. We show that, under certain conditions, noise due to the mechanical oscillation of the atomic cell is on the same order of magnitude as the shot noise. The quantum limit of detectable rotation rate is estimated as $8.1\times10^{-19}$\,rad/s.

Gunther K. Wertheim

Philipp Treutlein

This chapter gives an introduction to optomechanics with ultracold atoms. The opening half deals with optomechanical atom–light interactions. Section 9.2 introduces atom trapping. Section 9.3 discusses the properties of trapped atoms as mechanical oscillators. Section 9.4 describes optomechanical interactions, treating the atoms as polarizable particles, a model used in section 9.5 to derive optomechanical coupling of atoms and a cavity field and briefly review cavity optomechanics experiments with atoms in the quantum regime. The second half deals with hybrid mechanical-atomic systems. We start with an overview of different coupling mechanisms, then focus on light-mediated interactions and derive the coupling of a membrane to an ensemble of laser-cooled atoms. Section 9.8 reviews experiments on sympathetic cooling of a membrane with cold atoms, with perspectives for mechanical quantum control discussed in section 9.9. Section 9.10 introduces the possibilities that arise if the mechanical oscillator is coupled to the atomic internal state.

MF O'Dwyer, JE Kent, R. D. Brown

Vyacheslav I. Yukalov, Elizaveta P. Yukalova

A mechanism is suggested for creating well-collimated beams of neutral spin-polarized particles by means of magnetic fields. This mechanism can be used in atom lasers for the formation of directed coherent beams of atoms. The directed motion of atoms is achieved only with the help of magnetic fields, no mechanical collimators being involved.