Ultraprecise off-axis atom localization with hybrid fields

Atom localization enables a high-precision imaging of the atomic position, which has provided vast applications in fundamental and applied science. In the present work, we propose a scheme for realizing two-dimensional off-axis atom localization in a three-level Lambda-type system. Benefiting from the use of a hybrid coupling field which consists of one Gaussian beam and one Laguerre-Gaussian beam, our scheme shows that the atoms can be localized at arbitrary position with a high spatial resolution. Taking account of realistic experimental parameters, our numerical simulation predicts that the atoms can be precisely localized with a spatial resolution of ~200 nm in the range of a radial distance of a few micrometers to the beam core. Our results provide a more flexible way to localize atoms in a two-dimensional system, possibly paving one-step closer to the nanometer-scale atom lithography and ultraprecise microscopy.