Interferometry with laser-manipulated cold atoms

authored by: W. Ertmer, K. Sengstock, U. Sterr, J. H. Müller, D. Bettermann, V. Rieger, F. Ruschewitz, J. L. Peng, F. Dingler, A. Pabst, R. Strichirsch, M. Christ, A. Scholz, M. Schiffer, G. Wokurka, R. Deutschmann, H. Wallis, S. Friebel, S. Penselin
Abstract: An atomic beam of laser-decelerated metastable neon atoms has been used for the first experimental observation of an atomic beam diffracted by coherent transfer of two photon momenta from an evanescent standing laser field. The incident atomic beam of the laser-slowed neon atoms had a mean velocity of 25 m/s as it was transversely compressed to a diameter below 0.15 mm and to sub-Doppler temperatures. Direct images of diffraction patterns taken by a high-resolution two-dimensional detector showed specular reflection of the beam of metastable neon atoms up to 74 mrad and clearly the second diffraction order from 81 to 92 mrad. Based on a new detection scheme, optical Ramsey fringes on the Mg intercombination line (λ = 457 nm) have been demonstrated with a resolution of 4 kHz and an accuracy of 2 × 10^-15 using laser-cooled and trapped atoms. Applying a pulsed excitation scheme to the trapped ensemble, the Ramsey signals are nearly undisturbed by the relativistic Doppler effect and phase errors of the Ramsey zones. The detection is based on quantum amplification due to the electron shelving effect in cooperation with the trap dynamics, monitored as decrease of the trap fluorescence induced by the fast trapping transition. Simultaneously recorded Ramsey interferences on a thermal atomic beam allowed a direct measurement of the second-order Doppler shift. The relevance of the experiment to future frequency standards achieving a stability and an accuracy of better than 10^-15 are discussed. In an additional experiment, the trap for the neutral Mg atoms was improved in such a way that a picture of the fluorescence light of a single atom stored in the trap could be recorded.
Organisation(s): Institute of Quantum Optics
Institute of Geodesy
Institute of Botany
Section Biochemistry of Plant Specialised Metabolites
Type: Article
Journal: Laser physics
Volume: 6
Pages: 278-283
No. of pages: 6
ISSN: 1054-660X
Publication date: 1996
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Instrumentation, Condensed Matter Physics, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering
: Details in the research portal "Research@Leibniz University"

BibTeX

@article{86c748cf0ca3468f922b8a0ba8ec2bf3,
title = "Interferometry with laser-manipulated cold atoms",
abstract = "An atomic beam of laser-decelerated metastable neon atoms has been used for the first experimental observation of an atomic beam diffracted by coherent transfer of two photon momenta from an evanescent standing laser field. The incident atomic beam of the laser-slowed neon atoms had a mean velocity of 25 m/s as it was transversely compressed to a diameter below 0.15 mm and to sub-Doppler temperatures. Direct images of diffraction patterns taken by a high-resolution two-dimensional detector showed specular reflection of the beam of metastable neon atoms up to 74 mrad and clearly the second diffraction order from 81 to 92 mrad. Based on a new detection scheme, optical Ramsey fringes on the Mg intercombination line (λ = 457 nm) have been demonstrated with a resolution of 4 kHz and an accuracy of 2 × 10-15 using laser-cooled and trapped atoms. Applying a pulsed excitation scheme to the trapped ensemble, the Ramsey signals are nearly undisturbed by the relativistic Doppler effect and phase errors of the Ramsey zones. The detection is based on quantum amplification due to the electron shelving effect in cooperation with the trap dynamics, monitored as decrease of the trap fluorescence induced by the fast trapping transition. Simultaneously recorded Ramsey interferences on a thermal atomic beam allowed a direct measurement of the second-order Doppler shift. The relevance of the experiment to future frequency standards achieving a stability and an accuracy of better than 10-15 are discussed. In an additional experiment, the trap for the neutral Mg atoms was improved in such a way that a picture of the fluorescence light of a single atom stored in the trap could be recorded.",
author = "W. Ertmer and K. Sengstock and U. Sterr and M{\"u}ller, {J. H.} and D. Bettermann and V. Rieger and F. Ruschewitz and Peng, {J. L.} and F. Dingler and A. Pabst and R. Strichirsch and M. Christ and A. Scholz and M. Schiffer and G. Wokurka and R. Deutschmann and H. Wallis and S. Friebel and S. Penselin",
year = "1996",
language = "English",
volume = "6",
pages = "278--283",
journal = "Laser physics",
issn = "1054-660X",
publisher = "Institute of Physics Publishing",
number = "2",
}