Related papers: Light-shift tomography in an optical-dipole trap f…
We study the dynamical evolution of cold atoms in crossed optical dipole trap theoretically and experimentally. The atomic transport process is accompanied by two competitive kinds of physical mechanics, atomic loading and atomic loss. The…
Neutral atoms trapped in the evanescent optical potentials of nanotapered optical fibers are a promising platform for developing quantum technologies and exploring fundamental science, such as quantum networks and quantum electrodynamics.…
We studied light assisted collisions of Tm atoms in a magneto optical trap (MOT) for the first time, working on a weak cooling transition at 530.7 nm $(4f^{13}(^2F^0)6s^2,J=7/2,F=4$ to $4f^{12}(^3H_6)5d_{5/2}6s^2,J=9/2,F=5)$. We observed a…
We present two spatial-shaping approaches -- phase and amplitude -- for creating two-dimensional optical dipole potentials for ultracold neutral atoms. When combined with an attractive or repulsive Gaussian sheet formed by an astigmatically…
Magneto-optical trap (MOT) at narrow (weak) transition offers lower temperature and hence is the key for production of high phase density atomic cloud and subsequently quantum degeneracy with high number of atoms for many elements. In this…
We demonstrate Faraday spectroscopy with high duty cycle and sampling rate using atoms confined to a blue-detuned optical trap. Our trap consists of a crossed pair of high-charge-number hollow laser beams, which forms a dark, box-like…
We propose a scheme to transfer molecules from a slow beam into an optical trap using only a single photon absorption and emission cycle. The efficiency of such a scheme is numerically explored for BaF using realistic experimental…
Despite the fact that the laser cooling method is a well-established technique to obtain ultra-cold neutral atoms and atomic cations, it has so far never been applied to atomic anions due to the lack of suitable electric-dipole transitions.…
We report 2D confinement of Rb 87 atoms in a Laguerre-Gaussian laser beam. Changing of the sign of the detuning from the atomic resonance dramatically alters the geometry of the confinement. With the laser detuned to the blue, the atoms are…
We model the efficiency of loading atoms of various species into a one dimensional optical lattice from a cold ensemble taking into account the initial cloud temperature and size, the lattice laser properties affecting the trapping…
We demonstrate a Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT) configuration which employs optical forces due to light scattering between electronically excited states of the atom. With the standard MOT laser beams propagating along the {\it x}- and {\it y}-…
Interfacing cold atoms with integrated nanophotonic devices could offer new paradigms for engineering atom-light interactions and provide a potentially scalable route for quantum sensing, metrology, and quantum information processing.…
We investigate an attractive force caused by light induced dipole-dipole interactions in freely expanding ultracold 87Rb atoms. This collective, light-triggered effect results in a self-confining potential with interesting features: it…
We present experimental techniques and results related to the optimization and characterization of our nanofiber-based atom trap [Vetsch et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 203603 (2010)]. The atoms are confined in an optical lattice which is…
We have trapped cesium atoms over many minutes in the focus of a CO$_2$-laser beam employing an extremely simple laser system. Collisional properties of the unpolarized atoms in their electronic ground state are investigated. Inelastic…
We have used diffraction gratings to simplify the fabrication, and dramatically increase the atomic collection efficiency, of magneto-optical traps using micro-fabricated optics. The atom number enhancement was mainly due to the increased…
We study the dynamic behavior of ultracold neutral atoms in a macroscopic ac electric trap. Confinement in such a trap is achieved by switching between two saddle-point configurations of the electric field. The gradual formation of a stably…
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…
We describe one-dimensional photonic crystals that support a guided mode suitable for atom trapping within a unit cell, as well as a second probe mode with strong atom-photon interactions. A new hybrid trap is analyzed that combines optical…
We demonstrate a novel hybrid nanophotonic trap for cold neutral atoms, leveraging surface forces for attraction and blue-detuned evanescent light for repulsion. We attribute the attractive potential to a combination of Casimir-Polder…