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Optics Express

Characterizing light shift of an open optical Zeeman transition with a single cesium atom in an optical tweezer

Qing Fan, Pengfei Yang, Da Xu, Chongyi Ren, Peilin Ren, Zhihui Wang, Pengfei Zhang, Gang Li, Tiancai Zhang

Published Dec 10, 2025• 1 citation

Abstract

Characterizing the trap-light-induced frequency shifts of optical Zeeman transitions is essential for the precise control of the interacting dynamics between optically trapped single atoms and external light fields. The closed hyperfine transition, for example, 6 S 1/2 | F = 4〉 → 6 P 3/2 | F ′ = 5〉 of the cesium (Cs) atom, is commonly used because of its high transition strength. However, within this hyperfine transition line, different Zeeman transitions experience distinct light shifts due to diverse susceptibilities to the light field, which are usually sorted as dynamic scalar, vector, and tensor polarizabilities. Here, we report an efficient method for measuring the light shifts of optical Zeeman transitions using single neutral atoms confined in an optical tweezer (OT). The method employs a weak probe beam together with an auxiliary optical pumping beam to manipulate the atomic population in ground states. In this way, population changes in a specific Zeeman state are mapped onto a different ground-state hyperfine manifold, allowing the optical spectrum of the Zeeman transition to be reconstructed through standard state-detection techniques. By using the method, we demonstrate the spectrum measurement of the open Zeeman transition 6 S 1/2 | F = 4, m F = 4〉 → 6 P 3/2 | F ′ = 5, m F ′ = 3〉 for a single Cs atom trapped in a π polarized OT. We further perform a systematic characterization of the tweezer-induced light shifts for both this open transition and the closed Zeeman transition 6 S 1/2 | F = 4, m F = 4〉 → 6 P 3/2 | F ′ = 5, m F ′ = 5〉 over a wide range of trap depths. The influence of the tensor polarizability in deep trap depths is experimentally observed.

DOI: 10.1364/oe.580705

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Characterizing the trap-light-induced frequency shifts of optical Zeeman transitions is essential for the precise control of the interacting dynamics between optically trapped single atoms and external light fields. The closed hyperfine transition, for example, 6 S 1/2 | F = 4〉 → 6 P 3/2 | F ′ = 5〉 of the cesium (Cs) atom, is commonly used because of its high transition strength. However, within this hyperfine transition line, different Zeeman transitions experience distinct light shifts due to diverse susceptibilities to the light field, which are usually sorted as dynamic scalar, vector, and tensor polarizabilities. Here, we report an efficient method for measuring the light shifts of optical Zeeman transitions using single neutral atoms confined in an optical tweezer (OT). The method employs a weak probe beam together with an auxiliary optical pumping beam to manipulate the atomic population in ground states. In this way, population changes in a specific Zeeman state are mapped onto a different ground-state hyperfine manifold, allowing the optical spectrum of the Zeeman transition to be reconstructed through standard state-detection techniques. By using the method, we demonstrate the spectrum measurement of the open Zeeman transition 6 S 1/2 | F = 4, m F = 4〉 → 6 P 3/2 | F ′ = 5, m F ′ = 3〉 for a single Cs atom trapped in a π polarized OT. We further perform a systematic characterization of the tweezer-induced light shifts for both this open transition and the closed Zeeman transition 6 S 1/2 | F = 4, m F = 4〉 → 6 P 3/2 | F ′ = 5, m F ′ = 5〉 over a wide range of trap depths. The influence of the tensor polarizability in deep trap depths is experimentally observed.

We investigate the interplay between Zeeman and light shifts in the transmission spectrum of an optically trapped, spin-polarized Rubidium atom. The spectral shape of the transmission changes from multiple, broad resonances to a single, narrow Lorentzian with a high resonant extinction value when we increase the magnetic field strength and lower the depth of the dipole trap. We present an experimental configuration well-suited for quantum information applications that enables not only efficient light-atom coupling, but also a long coherence time between ground state hyperfine levels.

Optical tweezer arrays trapping ultracold atoms and molecules are a versatile quantum science platform with broad impact in quantum simulation, quantum computation, and quantum metrology. The polarization dependence of anisotropic vector and tensor light shifts offers a degree of freedom for precise quantum state engineering of trapped particles. Similarly, state-selective operations depend on the polarization of the addressing light through the atom--light coupling strength. Yet, methods for controlling the polarization of individual tweezers or local addressing beams remain an experimental challenge. Here, we demonstrate independent, site-resolved linear polarization rotation across an optical tweezer array by exploiting the local birefringence tunability of a spatial light modulator. Applying this capability to an array of

^{88}\rm{Sr}

atoms, we homogenize differential light shifts imparted by the 813-nm tweezers to the narrow

{^1{\rm S}_0}\leftrightarrow{^3{\rm P}_1}

transition, enabling sideband cooling under a magic-angle condition. Furthermore, we show dynamic transport of trapped atoms across distinct polarization zones with high survival and preserved coherence. Finally, we characterize tweezer polarization noise and demonstrate closed-loop stabilization referenced to the atomic transition frequency, reaching mrad-level stability. Our work establishes a technique for manipulating polarization-sensitive atomic and molecular transitions in tweezer architectures, with immediate applications to optical tweezer clocks and multi-zone quantum processors.

We report the preparation and observation of single atoms of dysprosium in arrays of optical tweezers with a wavelength of 532 nm, imaged on the intercombination line at 626 nm. We use the anisotropic light shift specific to lanthanides and in particular a large difference in tensor and vector polarizabilities between the ground and excited states to tune the differential light shift and produce tweezers in near-magic or magic polarization. This allows us to find a regime where single atoms can be trapped and imaged. Using the tweezer array toolbox to manipulate lanthanides will open new research directions for quantum physics studies by taking advantage of their rich spectrum, large spin, and magnetic dipole moment.

We demonstrate the discrimination of ground-state hyperfine manifolds of a cesium atom in an optical tweezer using a simple probe beam with $99.{91}_{\ensuremath{-}0.02}^{+0.02}$% detection fidelity and 0.9(2)% detection-driven loss of bright-state atoms. Our detection infidelity of $0.{09}_{\ensuremath{-}0.02}^{+0.02}$% is an order of magnitude better than previously published low-loss readout results for alkali-metal atoms in optical tweezers. We achieve these results by identifying and mitigating an extra depumping mechanism due to stimulated Raman transitions induced by trap light in the presence of probe light. In this work, complex optical systems and stringent vacuum pressures are not required, enabling straightforward adoption of our techniques on contemporary experiments.

We present precise, sub-wavelength optical intensity measurement using a single trapped

^{87}

Rb atom as a sensor. The intensity is measured by the scalar ac Stark shift it produces on the

F=1 \rightarrow F'=2

hyperfine transition of the D

_{2}

line, chosen for its

F' = F+1

structure and very small tensor polarizability. To boost signal and reduce measurement-induced perturbations, we use a quantum jump spectroscopy technique in which a single absorbed photon on a transition of interest induces the scattering of hundreds of photons on a bright closed transition. The method greatly reduces systematic effects associated with the atomic state, optical polarization, probe power, and atom heating, and gives the atomic temperature as a second spectroscopic observable. We demonstrate the method by measuring the intensity at the focus of an optical tweezer.

We demonstrate that when laser light is circularly polarized and properly detuned, the ac Stark shift of an alkali-metal atom in its ground state takes the form of a pure Zeeman shift. The condition is satisfied when the laser frequency is between the

D1

and

D2

transition frequencies, with the size of the detuning from the

D2

resonance twice that from the

D1

resonance. The direction of the effective magnetic field is along the laser propagation axis, and its magnitude is proportional to the vector polarizability of the atom and to the laser intensity. We use stimulated Raman spectroscopy on an optically pumped slow atomic beam from a magneto-optical trap to measure the vector polarizability and saturated absorption spectroscopy to show that the scalar polarizability vanishes at the particular detuning.