Related papers: Probing atoms and molecules close to macroscopic b…
This paper presents our current measurements in a vapor nanocell aiming at a test of the distance-dependence of the atom-surface interaction, when simple asymptotic descriptions may turn to be not valid. A state-of-the-art of atom-surface…
We investigate the temperature dependence of the Casimir-Polder interaction in the electrostatic limit. This unusual phenomenon relies on the coupling between a virtual atomic transition and a thermal excitation of surface polariton modes.…
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…
Selective reflection is a high-resolution spectroscopic method that allows the probing of atomic and molecular gases in the near field of dielectric cell windows. It is a sensitive technique for measuring interactions between excited atoms…
To facilitate the transition of quantum effects from the controlled laboratory environment to practical real-world applications, there is a pressing need for scalable platforms. One promising strategy involves integrating thermal vapors…
We demonstrate the measurement and manipulation of the temperature of cold CO molecules in a microchip environment. Through the use of time-resolved spatial imaging, we are able to observe the phase-space distribution of the molecules, and…
We review recent progress at the Centre for Cold Matter in developing atom chips. An important advantage of miniaturizing atom traps on a chip is the possibility of obtaining very tight trapping structures with the capability of…
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…
Studies of the long-range interactions between cold atoms and surfaces are now of vital interest. The interest is partly driven by nanotechnology applications, partly by the exploding interest in the encompassing superfield of Casimir…
Diffraction of matter-waves is an important demonstration of the fact that objects in nature possess a mixture of particle-like and wave-like properties. Unlike in the case of light diffraction, matter-waves are subject to a vacuum-mediated…
Laser cooled atoms are central to modern precision measurements. They are also increasingly important as an enabling technology for experimental cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information processing and matter wave interferometry.…
Compact and robust structures to precisely control and acquire atomic spectra are increasingly important for the pursuit of widespread applications. Sub-Doppler responses of thermal atoms are critical in constructing high-precision devices…
The Casimir-Polder and van der Waals interactions between an atom and a flat cavity wall are investigated under the influence of real conditions including the dynamic polarizability of the atom, actual conductivity of the wall material and…
The quantum wave nature of matter is a cornerstone of modern physics, which has been demonstrated for a wide range of fundamental and composite particles. While diffraction at nanomechanical masks is usually regarded to be independent of…
We experimentally demonstrate optical spectroscopy of magnetically trapped atoms on an atom chip. High resolution optical spectra of individual trapped clouds are recorded within a few hundred milliseconds. Detection sensitivities close to…
We take a closer look at the fundamental Casimir-Polder interaction between quantum particles and dispersive dielectric surfaces with surface polariton or plasmon resonances. Linear response theory shows that in the near field, van der…
We report on precision spectroscopy of sub-wavelength confined molecular gases. This was obtained by rovibrational selective reflection of $\mathrm{NH_3}$ and $\mathrm{SF_6}$ gases using a quantum cascade laser at $\lambda\approx 10.6 \mu…
We study the Casimir interaction between a dielectric nanosphere and a metallic plane, using the multiple scattering theory. Exact results are obtained with the dielectric described by a Sellmeier model and the metal by a Drude model.…
We demonstrate a combined magneto-optical trap and imaging system that is suitable for the investigation of cold atoms near surfaces. In particular, we are able to trap atoms close to optically scattering surfaces and to image them with an…
Solid-state devices can be fabricated at the atomic scale, with applications ranging from classical logic to current standards and quantum technologies. While it is very desirable to probe these devices and the quantum states they host at…