Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Physical Review A

Cavity-based nondestructive detection of photoassociation in a dark magneto-optical trap

V. I. Gokul, Arun Bahuleyan, S. P. Dinesh, V. R. Thakar, S. A. Rangwala

Published May 16, 2024• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The photoassociation (PA) of a rubidium dimer in a dark magneto-optical trap (MOT) is studied using atom-cavity collective strong coupling. This allows nondestructive detection of the molecule formation process as well as rapid and repeated interrogation of the atom-molecule system. The vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS) measurements from the bright MOT are carefully calibrated against equivalent measurements with fluorescence. Further loading rates in the dark MOT are determined using VRS. This method provides a reliable, fast, and nondestructive detection scheme for detecting the PA using the free atoms coupled to a cavity when the atoms are in a nonfluorescing state.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.109.053713

Related papers

Cavity based non-destructive detection of photoassociation in a dark MOT

V. I. Gokul, Arun Bahuleyan, S. P. Dinesh +2 more

The photoassociation (PA) of rubidium dimer (Rb2) in a dark magneto-optic trap (MOT) is studied using atom-cavity collective strong coupling. This allows non-destructive detection of the molecule formation process as well as rapid and repeated interrogation of the atom-molecule system. The vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS) measurements from the bright MOT are carefully calibrated against equivalent measurements with fluorescence. Further loading rates in dark MOT are determined using VRS. This method provides a reliable, fast, and non-destructive detection scheme for ultracold molecules when the atoms are non-fluorescing using the free atoms coupled to a cavity.

arXiv:2402.15114•Feb 23, 2024•0 citations

Nondestructive detection of ions using atom-cavity collective strong coupling

Sourav Dutta, S. A. Rangwala

We present a technique, based on atoms coupled to an optical cavity, for nondestructive detection of trapped ions. We demonstrate the vacuum-Rabi splitting (VRS), arising from collective strong coupling of ultracold Rb atoms and a cavity, to change in the presence of trapped $\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{b}}^{+}$ ions. The $\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{b}}^{+}$ ions are optically dark and the Rb atoms are prepared in a dark magneto-optical trap. The VRS is measured on an optically open transition of the initially dark Rb atoms. The measurement itself is fast, nondestructive, and has sufficient fidelity to permit the measurement of the atomic-state-selective ion-atom collision rate. This demonstration illustrates a method based on atom-cavity coupling to measure two-particle interactions generically and nondestructively.

arXiv:1611.00594•Physical Review A•Nov 21, 2016•10 citations

Measuring spatially extended density profiles using atom-cavity collective strong coupling to higher-order modes

M. Niranjan, Sourav Dutta, Tridib Ray +1 more

The collective strong coupling of rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) to the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) modes of a Fabry-P\'erot cavity is investigated. Bright and dark $^{85}\mathrm{Rb}$ MOT atoms are prepared at the geometric center of the cavity, and the vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS) of the collectively coupled atom-cavity system is measured for ${\mathrm{LG}}_{l0}$ ($l=0,1,2,3$) modes. The atom number coupled to the cavity mode depends on the overlap of the atomic density distribution and the specific spatial mode function, which is reflected in the measured VRS spectrum. The known mode function and the measured VRS can then be used to test whether the atomic density distribution in the experiment is Gaussian or uniform. A simple theoretical model for this process is described, and the experimental measurements are found to be in close agreement with the model.

Physical Review A•Mar 22, 2019•5 citations

Magneto optical trapping of potassium-39 in a ring cavity

K Pahwa

This thesis focuses on the construction and development of an experiment to study cold potassium atoms in an optical ring cavity. Firstly we load a potassium-39 magneto optical trap (MOT) inside the ring cavity. To achieve this a laser system, rectangular magnetic coils system and vacuum system are designed and constructed. To stabilise the laser system, a detailed study of various potassium spectroscopy techniques is undertaken and the reference laser is suitably locked to the magnetically induced spectroscopy. We load an ensemble of 10\\(^5\\) potassium atoms inside the ring cavity mode and study their collective strong coupling with the cavity field. In the collective strong coupling regime, the photons are coherently exchanged between the atomic ensemble and cavity field. This rate of exchange is determined by the singlephoton Rabi frequency `2\\(g\\)' which must be larger than the cavity field decay rate `2\\(k\\)' and atomic spontaneous emission rate `2\\(ᵧ\\)'. As a result of this coupling, the peak in the cavity transmission signal undergoes a splitting known as `vacuum Rabi splitting' (or `normal mode splitting'). The vacuum Rabi splitting has been realised and measured to be ~ 2\\(π\\). 18 MHz in our system.

•Dec 1, 2014•1 citation

Temperature measurement of laser-cooled atoms using vacuum Rabi splitting

Tridib Ray, Arijit Sharma, S. Jyothi +1 more

We laser cool rubidium atoms to form a magneto-optical trap, within a Fabry-Perot cavity, and demonstrate strong coupling of the cold atoms to the cavity. The coupling strength is measured using the vacuum Rabi frequency splitting (VRS) of transmitted, cavity-coupled light on atomic resonance. The VRS is measured for two- and three-level atomic systems and the atom-cavity-coupling strength for each system is determined. By allowing the laser-cooled atoms to expand for different times and measuring the corresponding VRS, we determine the number of atoms overlapped with the cavity mode as a function of time. This time-of-flight of atoms from the cavity permits the measurement of the temperature of the laser-cooled atoms. Finally, the need for this technique and its utility is discussed.

Physical Review A•Mar 26, 2013•19 citations

Detection of ultracold molecules using an optical cavity

Rahul Sawant, Olivier Dulieu, S. A. Rangwala

We theoretically study nondestructive detection of ultracold molecules, using a Fabry-P\'erot cavity. Specifically, we consider vacuum Rabi splitting where we demonstrate the use of collective strong coupling for detection of molecules with many participating energy levels. We also consider electromagnetically induced transparency and transient response of light for the molecules interacting with a Fabry-P\'erot cavity mode, as a means for nondestructive detection. We identify the parameters required for the detection of molecules in the cavity using electromagnetically induced transparency. The theoretical analysis for these processes is parametrized with realistic values of both the molecule and the cavity. For each process, we quantify the state occupancy of the molecules interacting with the cavity and determine to what extent the population does not change during a detection cycle.

arXiv:1802.10343•Physical Review A•Jun 11, 2018•10 citations
The photoassociation (PA) of a rubidium dimer in a dark magneto-optical trap (MOT) is studied using atom-cavity collective strong coupling. This allows nondestructive detection of the molecule formation process as well as rapid and repeated interrogation of the atom-molecule system. The vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS) measurements from the bright MOT are carefully calibrated against equivalent measurements with fluorescence. Further loading rates in the dark MOT are determined using VRS. This method provides a reliable, fast, and nondestructive detection scheme for detecting the PA using the free atoms coupled to a cavity when the atoms are in a nonfluorescing state.
The photoassociation (PA) of rubidium dimer (Rb2) in a dark magneto-optic trap (MOT) is studied using atom-cavity collective strong coupling. This allows non-destructive detection of the molecule formation process as well as rapid and repeated interrogation of the atom-molecule system. The vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS) measurements from the bright MOT are carefully calibrated against equivalent measurements with fluorescence. Further loading rates in dark MOT are determined using VRS. This method provides a reliable, fast, and non-destructive detection scheme for ultracold molecules when the atoms are non-fluorescing using the free atoms coupled to a cavity.
We present a technique, based on atoms coupled to an optical cavity, for nondestructive detection of trapped ions. We demonstrate the vacuum-Rabi splitting (VRS), arising from collective strong coupling of ultracold Rb atoms and a cavity, to change in the presence of trapped Rb+\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{b}}^{+}Rb+ ions. The Rb+\mathrm{R}{\mathrm{b}}^{+}Rb+ ions are optically dark and the Rb atoms are prepared in a dark magneto-optical trap. The VRS is measured on an optically open transition of the initially dark Rb atoms. The measurement itself is fast, nondestructive, and has sufficient fidelity to permit the measurement of the atomic-state-selective ion-atom collision rate. This demonstration illustrates a method based on atom-cavity coupling to measure two-particle interactions generically and nondestructively.
The collective strong coupling of rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) to the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) modes of a Fabry-P\'erot cavity is investigated. Bright and dark 85Rb^{85}\mathrm{Rb}85Rb MOT atoms are prepared at the geometric center of the cavity, and the vacuum Rabi splitting (VRS) of the collectively coupled atom-cavity system is measured for LGl0{\mathrm{LG}}_{l0}LGl0​ (l=0,1,2,3l=0,1,2,3l=0,1,2,3) modes. The atom number coupled to the cavity mode depends on the overlap of the atomic density distribution and the specific spatial mode function, which is reflected in the measured VRS spectrum. The known mode function and the measured VRS can then be used to test whether the atomic density distribution in the experiment is Gaussian or uniform. A simple theoretical model for this process is described, and the experimental measurements are found to be in close agreement with the model.
This thesis focuses on the construction and development of an experiment to study cold potassium atoms in an optical ring cavity. Firstly we load a potassium-39 magneto optical trap (MOT) inside the ring cavity. To achieve this a laser system, rectangular magnetic coils system and vacuum system are designed and constructed. To stabilise the laser system, a detailed study of various potassium spectroscopy techniques is undertaken and the reference laser is suitably locked to the magnetically induced spectroscopy. We load an ensemble of 10\\(^5\\) potassium atoms inside the ring cavity mode and study their collective strong coupling with the cavity field. In the collective strong coupling regime, the photons are coherently exchanged between the atomic ensemble and cavity field. This rate of exchange is determined by the singlephoton Rabi frequency `2\\(g\\)' which must be larger than the cavity field decay rate `2\\(k\\)' and atomic spontaneous emission rate `2\\(ᵧ\\)'. As a result of this coupling, the peak in the cavity transmission signal undergoes a splitting known as `vacuum Rabi splitting' (or `normal mode splitting'). The vacuum Rabi splitting has been realised and measured to be ~ 2\\(π\\). 18 MHz in our system.
We laser cool rubidium atoms to form a magneto-optical trap, within a Fabry-Perot cavity, and demonstrate strong coupling of the cold atoms to the cavity. The coupling strength is measured using the vacuum Rabi frequency splitting (VRS) of transmitted, cavity-coupled light on atomic resonance. The VRS is measured for two- and three-level atomic systems and the atom-cavity-coupling strength for each system is determined. By allowing the laser-cooled atoms to expand for different times and measuring the corresponding VRS, we determine the number of atoms overlapped with the cavity mode as a function of time. This time-of-flight of atoms from the cavity permits the measurement of the temperature of the laser-cooled atoms. Finally, the need for this technique and its utility is discussed.
We theoretically study nondestructive detection of ultracold molecules, using a Fabry-P\'erot cavity. Specifically, we consider vacuum Rabi splitting where we demonstrate the use of collective strong coupling for detection of molecules with many participating energy levels. We also consider electromagnetically induced transparency and transient response of light for the molecules interacting with a Fabry-P\'erot cavity mode, as a means for nondestructive detection. We identify the parameters required for the detection of molecules in the cavity using electromagnetically induced transparency. The theoretical analysis for these processes is parametrized with realistic values of both the molecule and the cavity. For each process, we quantify the state occupancy of the molecules interacting with the cavity and determine to what extent the population does not change during a detection cycle.