Related papers: Forces between a single atom and its distant mirro…
A new trap for atoms and small particles based on the interaction between an atom and the field of counter-propagating light pulses that are partially superposed in time has been proposed. A substantial difference from the known analogs…
In low energy atom-surface scattering, it is possible for the atom to be reflected in a region of attractive potential with no classical turning point. This phenomenon has come to be known as quantum reflection and it can reduce the…
Quantum fluctuations of the vacuum are both a surprising and fundamental phenomenon of nature. Understood as virtual photons flitting in and out of existence, they still have a very real impact, \emph{e.g.}, in the Casimir effects and the…
Analytical solution for optical trapping force on a spherical dielectric particle for an arbitrary positioned focused beam is presented in a generalized Lorenz-Mie and vectorial diffraction theory. In this case the exact electromagnetic…
Light beams with azimuthal phase dependence [$exp(i \ell\phi)$] carry orbital angular momentum (OAM) which differs fundamentally from spin angular momentum (SAM) associated with polarization. Striking difference between the two momenta is…
In three dimensions, dipole-dipole interactions which alter atomic level shifts and spontaneous decay rates only persist over distances comparable to the wavelength of the emitted light. In this paper we show that it is possible to…
We fabricate a miniature spherical mirror for tightly focusing an optical dipole trap for neutral atoms. The mirror formation process is modelled to predict the dimensions for particular fabrication parameters. We integrate the spherical…
Trapped Rydberg atoms are highly promising candidates for quantum science experiments. While several approaches have been put forward to exert (trapping) forces on isolated Rydberg atoms, a widely applicable lossless technique is lacking.…
Interaction of atoms with twisted light is the subject of intense experimental and theoretical investigation. In almost all studies, the atom is viewed as a localized probe of the twisted light field. However, as argued in this paper,…
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…
This paper considers the analogy between the force exerted on cold atoms when they interact with a highly twisted tightly focused laser beam and the forces exerted on a charged dielectric particle inside a uniform electric field when we…
We analyze radiative processes of a quantum system composed by two identical two-level atoms interacting with a massless scalar field prepared in the vacuum state in the presence of perfect reflecting flat mirrors. We consider that the…
The evanescent field outside an optical nanofiber (ONF) can create optical traps for neutral atoms. We present a non-destructive method to characterize such trapping potentials. An off-resonance linearly polarized probe beam that propagates…
We provide a vivid demonstration of the mechanical effect of transverse spin momentum in an optical beam in free space. This component of the Poynting momentum was previously thought to be virtual, and unmeasurable. Here, its effect is…
We present a theoretical analysis of a novel scheme for optical cooling of particles that does not in principle require a closed optical transition. A tightly confined laser beam interacting with a trapped particle experiences a phase…
Optical and acoustical trapping has been established as a tool for holding and moving microscopic particles suspended in a liquid in a contact-free and non-invasive manner. Opposed to standard microscopic imaging where the probe is fixated,…
The focusing of the vacuum modes of a quantized field by a parabolic mirror is investigated. We use a geometric optics approximation to calculate the energy density and mean squared field averages for scalar and electromagnetic fields near…
Optical tweezers are highly versatile laser traps for neutral microparticles, with fundamental applications in physics and in single molecule cell biology. Force measurements are performed by converting the stiffness response to…
The center-of-mass motion of optically trapped dielectric nanoparticles in vacuum is extremely well-decoupled from its environment, making a powerful tool for measurements of feeble sub-attonewton forces. We demonstrate a method to trap and…
We report a study on light force on a beam of neutral two-level atoms superimposed upon a few-cycle pulsed Gaussian laser field under both resonant and off-resonant condition. The phenomena of focusing, defocusing and steering of the…