Laser Manipulation of Neutral Atoms

Mark Y. Vilensky

Chuanwei Zhang, S. L. Rolston, S. Das Sarma

We analyze a scheme to manipulate quantum states of neutral atoms at individual sites of optical lattices using focused laser beams. Spatial distributions of focused laser intensities induce position-dependent energy shifts of hyperfine states, which, combined with microwave radiation, allow selective manipulation of quantum states of individual target atoms. We show that various errors in the manipulation process are suppressed below ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ with properly chosen microwave pulse sequences and laser parameters. A similar idea is also applied to measure quantum states of single atoms in optical lattices.

Alain Aspect

Alain Aspect, Robin Kaiser, Nathalie Vansteenkiste +1 more

We present an overview of the field of laser manipulation of atoms. Examples and trends are given for: laser cooling and trapping; subrecoil cooling; probes of cold atoms; collective effects in cold atoms samples; atom optics and interferometry.

Arthur Ashkin

V. I. Balykin, Vladilen S Letokhov

In ordinary optics one exploits the interaction of radiation with matter to manipulate beams of light. One can also turn the tables and control beams of charged or neutral material particles through their interaction with light. There are deep analogies and similarities between these two sorts of optics, even though they involve very different kinds of interactions between matter and radiation. Perhaps one can exploit every such interaction for some kind of “optics”—controlling beams of photons or massive particles. In this article we will describe recent developments in the laser optics of atomic beams—how experimenters are using the radiation pressure of laser light to manipulate neutral atoms.