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arXiv:quant-ph/0610071 · Physical Review A

Diffraction-limited optics for single-atom manipulation

Yvan R. P. Sortais, H. Marion, Charles Tuchendler, Andrew M. Lance, Michel Lamare, P. Fournet, Catherine Armellin, Raymond Mercier, Gaétan Messin, Antoine Browaeys, Philippe Grangier

Published Jan 8, 2007• 119 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present an optical system designed to capture and observe a single neutral atom in an optical dipole trap, created by focusing a laser beam using a large-numerical-aperture $(\mathrm{NA}=0.5)$ aspheric lens. We experimentally evaluate the performance of the optical system and show that it is diffraction limited over a broad spectral range $(\ensuremath{\sim}200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})$ with a large transverse field $(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}25\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m})$. The optical tweezer created at the focal point of the lens is able to trap single atoms of $^{87}\mathrm{Rb}$ and to detect them individually with a large collection efficiency. We measure the oscillation frequency of the atom in the dipole trap and use this value as an independent determination of the waist of the optical tweezer. Finally, we produce with the same lens two dipole traps separated by $2.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ and show that the imaging system can resolve the two atoms.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.75.013406

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We present an optical system designed to capture and observe a single neutral atom in an optical dipole trap, created by focusing a laser beam using a large-numerical-aperture (NA=0.5)(\mathrm{NA}=0.5)(NA=0.5) aspheric lens. We experimentally evaluate the performance of the optical system and show that it is diffraction limited over a broad spectral range (\ensuremath∼200nm)(\ensuremath{\sim}200\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})(\ensuremath∼200nm) with a large transverse field (\ifmmode±\else\textpm\fi25\ensuremathμm)(\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}25\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m})(\ifmmode±\else\textpm\fi25\ensuremathμm). The optical tweezer created at the focal point of the lens is able to trap single atoms of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb and to detect them individually with a large collection efficiency. We measure the oscillation frequency of the atom in the dipole trap and use this value as an independent determination of the waist of the optical tweezer. Finally, we produce with the same lens two dipole traps separated by 2.2\ensuremathμm2.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}2.2\ensuremathμm and show that the imaging system can resolve the two atoms.
Single atoms are promising candidates for physically implementing quantum bits, the fundamental unit of quantum information. We have built an apparatus for cooling, trapping and imaging single rubidium atoms in microscopic optical tweezers. The traps are formed from a tightly focused off-resonant laser beam, which traps atoms using the optical dipole force. The traps have a diameter of ~1 μm and a depth of ~1 mK. The novelty of our approach is the use a digital mirror device (DMD) to generate multiple independently movable tweezers from a single laser beam. The DMD consists of an array of micro-mirrors that can be switched on and off, thus acting as a binary amplitude modulator. We use the DMD to imprint a computer-generated hologram on the laser beam, which is converted in to the desired arrangement of traps in the focal plane of a lens. We have developed fast algorithms for calculating binary holograms suitable for the DMD. In addition, we use this method to measure and correct for errors in the phase of the wavefront caused by optical aberrations, which is necessary for producing diffraction-limited focal spots. Using this apparatus, we have trapped arrays of up to 20 atoms with arbitrary geometrical arrangements. We exploit light-assisted collisions between atoms to ensure there is at most one atom per trapping site. We measure the temperature of the atoms in the traps to be 12 μK, and their lifetime to be 1.4 s. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to select individual atoms from an array and transport them over a distance of 14μm with laser cooling, and 5 μm without.
Optical metasurfaces of subwavelength pillars have provided new capabilities for the versatile definition of the amplitude, phase, and polarization of light.In this work, we demonstrate that an efficient dielectric metasurface lens can be used to trap and image single neutral atoms with a long working distance from the lens of 3 mm.We characterize the high-numerical-aperture optical tweezers using the trapped atoms and compare with numerical computations of the metasurface-lens performance.We predict that future metasurfaces for atom trapping will be able to leverage multiple ongoing developments in metasurface design and enable multifunctional control in complex quantum information experiments with neutral-atom arrays.
Abstract The trapping of single atoms in optical dipole traps is widely used in experiments on the implementation of quantum processors based on neutral atoms, and studying interatomic interactions. Typically, such experiments employ lenses with a large numerical aperture (NA > 0.5), highly sensitive EMCCD cameras, or photon counters. In this work, we demonstrate trapping and detection of single rubidium atoms using a long-focus objective lens with a numerical aperture NA = 0.172 and a FLir Tau CNV sCMOS camera.
Abstract Single alkali-metal atoms in arrays of optical dipole traps represent a quantum register that can be used for quantum computation and simulation based on short-term Rydberg excitations, which switch the interactions between qubits. To load single atoms into optical dipole traps and then detect them by resonance fluorescence, lenses with a large numerical aperture (NA > 0.5) inside a vacuum chamber and expensive EMCCD cameras are commonly used. We present our recent experimental results on demonstrating the trapping of single 87Rb atoms using a long-focus objective lens with a low numerical aperture (NA = 0.172) placed outside the vacuum chamber, and detecting single atoms with a low-cost sCMOS camera. We also present our current results on implementing a single-qubit gate based on optical pumping and subsequent microwave transition between two hyperfine sublevels of a single 87Rb atom with fidelity near 95%.