Vacuum-stimulated cooling of single atoms in three dimensions
Author: ["Stefan Nußmann","Karim Murr","Markus Hijlkema","Bernhard Weber","Axel Kuhn","Gerhard Rempe"]
Publication: Nature Physics
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Abstract
Controlling quantum dynamical processes is the key to practical applications of quantum physics, for example in quantum information science. The manipulation of light–matter interactions at the single-atom and single-photon level can be achieved in cavity quantum electrodynamics, in particular in the regime of strong coupling in which atom and cavity form a single entity. In the optical domain, this requires a single atom at rest inside a microcavity. Here we show that an orthogonal arrangement of a cooling laser, trapping laser and cavity vacuum gives rise to a unique combination of friction forces that act along all three directions. This combination of cooling forces is applied to catch and cool a single atom in a high-finesse cavity. The high cooling efficiency leads to a low temperature and an average single-atom trapping time of 17 s, during which the strongly coupled atom can be observed continuously.
Cite this article
Nußmann, S., Murr, K., Hijlkema, M. et al. Vacuum-stimulated cooling of single atoms in three dimensions. Nature Phys 1, 122–125 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys120