Related papers: Surface-modified Wannier-Stark states in a 1D opti…
In this work we discuss the atomic states in a vertical optical lattice in proximity of a surface. We study the modifications to the ordinary Wannier-Stark states in presence of a surface and we characterize the energy shifts produced by…
We study the lifetime of an atom trapped in an optical vertical lattice in proximity of a massive surface using a complex scaling approach. We analyze how the presence of the surface modifies the known lifetimes of Wannier-Stark states…
We describe a novel experiment based on atoms trapped close to a macroscopic surface, to study the interactions between the atoms and the surface at very small separations (0.6 to 10 $\mu$m). In this range the dominant potential is the QED…
We have calculated dynamical Casimir-Polder interaction force between a moving ground state atom and a flat polarizable surface. The velocity of an atom can be close to the velocity of light. The material properties are taken into account…
Raman lasers are used as a spectroscopic probe of the state of atoms confined in a shallow 1D vertical lattice. For long enough laser pulses, resolved transitions in the bottom band of the lattice between Wannier Stark states corresponding…
Performing interferometry in an optical lattice formed by standing waves of light offers potential advantages over its free-space equivalents since the atoms can be confined and manipulated by the optical potential. We demonstrate such an…
We investigate the time-dependent Casimir-Polder potential of a polarizable two-level atom placed near a surface of arbitrary material, after a sudden change in the parameters of the system. Different initial conditions are taken into…
The controllable positioning of a vacuum-levitated object near a material surface is of importance for studying short-range forces, such as Casimir forces, interfacial friction forces, or gravity in yet unexplored parameter regimes. Here we…
Standard optical potentials use off-resonant laser standing wave induced AC-Stark shift. In a recent development [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 117}, 233001 (2016)] a three-level scheme in $\Lambda$ configuration coupled coherently by resonant…
We report on the experimental realization of a conservative optical lattice for cold atoms with sub-wavelength spatial structure. The potential is based on the nonlinear optical response of three-level atoms in laser-dressed dark states,…
We develop a model to describe the motional (i.e., external degree of freedom) energy spectra of atoms trapped in a one-dimensional optical lattice, taking into account both axial and radial confinement relative to the lattice axis. Our…
We study a system of ultra-cold atoms possessing long range interaction (e.g. dipole-dipole interaction) in a one dimensional optical lattice in the presence of a confining harmonic trap. We have shown that for large enough on-site and…
We study both experimentally and theoretically the losses induced by parametric excitation in far-off-resonance optical lattices. The atoms confined in a 1D sinusoidal lattice present an excitation spectrum and dynamics substantially…
We describe a two-dimensional optical lattice for ultracold atoms with spatial features below the diffraction limit created by a bichromatic optical standing wave. At every point in space these fields couple the internal atomic states in a…
The temperature dependence of the Casimir-Polder interaction addresses fundamental issues for understanding vacuum and thermal fluctuations. It is highly sensitive to surface waves which, in the near field, govern the thermal emission of a…
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…
The Casimir-Polder (CP) effect -- the force between a neutral atom and an uncharged conducting plate in empty space -- is an intriguing consequence of quantum vacuum fluctuations. The typically attractive CP potential crosses over from a…
Optical potentials have been a versatile tool for the study of atomic motions and many-body interactions in cold atoms. Recently, optical subwavelength single barriers were proposed to enhance the atomic interaction energy scale, which is…
We present the first direct measurements of Casimir-Polder forces between solid surfaces and atomic gases in the transition regime between the electrostatic short-distance and the retarded long-distance limit. The experimental method is…
Optical lattices serve as fundamental building blocks for atomic quantum technology. However, the scale and resolution of these lattices are diffraction-limited to the light wavelength. In conventional lattices, achieving tight confinement…