Hannover 2010 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 55: Poster II

Q 55.92: Poster

Thursday, March 11, 2010, 16:00–19:00, Lichthof

Optomechanical coupling of ultracold atoms and a membrane — •Maria Korppi, Stephan Camerer, David Hunger, Theodor W. Hänsch, and Philipp Treutlein — Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik und Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

We report the progress of our experiment which aims at coupling a single mechanical mode of a high-Q membrane-oscillator to the motion of laser-cooled atoms in an optical lattice. The optical lattice is formed by retroreflection of a laserbeam from the oscillator surface. When the trap frequency of the atoms is matched to the eigenfrequency of the membrane, the coupling leads to resonant energy transfer between the two systems. This should allow to observe the back-action of the atoms onto the membrane. In the long term, such coupling mechanism could be exploited in developing hybrid quantum systems between atoms and solid-state devices.