Abstract
The evanescent field surrounding nanoscale optical waveguides
offers an efficient interface between light and mesoscopic
ensembles of neutral atoms. However, the thermal
motion of trapped atoms, combined with the strong radial
gradients of the guided light, leads to a time-modulated coupling
between atoms and the light mode, thus giving rise to
additional noise and motional dephasing of collective states.
Here, we present a dipole force free scheme for coupling of
the radial motional states, utilizing the strong intensity gradient
of the guided mode and demonstrate all-optical coupling
of the cesium hyperfine ground states and motional
sideband transitions. We utilize this to prolong the trap lifetime
of an atomic ensemble by Raman sideband cooling of
the radial motion which, to the best of our knowledge, has
not been demonstrated in nano-optical structures previously.
This Letter points towards full and independent control of
internal and external atomic degrees of freedom using guided
light modes only.
offers an efficient interface between light and mesoscopic
ensembles of neutral atoms. However, the thermal
motion of trapped atoms, combined with the strong radial
gradients of the guided light, leads to a time-modulated coupling
between atoms and the light mode, thus giving rise to
additional noise and motional dephasing of collective states.
Here, we present a dipole force free scheme for coupling of
the radial motional states, utilizing the strong intensity gradient
of the guided mode and demonstrate all-optical coupling
of the cesium hyperfine ground states and motional
sideband transitions. We utilize this to prolong the trap lifetime
of an atomic ensemble by Raman sideband cooling of
the radial motion which, to the best of our knowledge, has
not been demonstrated in nano-optical structures previously.
This Letter points towards full and independent control of
internal and external atomic degrees of freedom using guided
light modes only.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Optics Letters |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue number | 21 |
| Pages (from-to) | 4315-4318 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| ISSN | 0146-9592 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Nov 2017 |