Dresden 2011 – scientific programme
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SYHQ: Intersectional Symposium Hybrid Quantum Systems - Interfacing Atoms, Solids and Light
SYHQ 1: Hybrid Quantum Systems -- Interfacing Atoms, Solids and Light
SYHQ 1.3: Invited Talk
Thursday, March 17, 2011, 11:30–12:00, HSZ 01
Interfacing ultracold atoms and micromechanical oscillators — •Philipp Treutlein1,2, Maria Korppi1,2, Andreas Jöckel1, Stephan Camerer2, David Hunger2, and Theodor W. Hänsch2 — 1Departement Physik, Universität Basel, Switzerland — 2Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik und LMU München, Germany
We report on an experiment in which we have realized an optomechanical interface between ultracold atoms and a micromechanical oscillator [1]. The oscillator is a low-stress SiN membrane with a mechanical quality factor exceeding one million. Ultracold atoms are trapped in an optical lattice that is created by retroreflecting a laser beam from the membrane. The lattice laser light thus mediates a coupling between the membrane vibrations and the motion of the atoms in the lattice [2]. We observe bi-directional coupling between the two systems and show that the dissipation of the membrane can be engineered by coupling it to laser-cooled atoms.
The optomechanical coupling between atoms and a membrane can be strongly enhanced by placing both systems in a laser-driven high-finesse optical cavity [3]. This may give access to the strong coupling regime, providing a quantum interface allowing the coherent transfer of quantum states between the two systems. This opens the door to coherent manipulation, preparation and measurement of micromechanical objects via the well-developed tools of atomic physics.
[1] S. Camerer et al., to be published. [2] K. Hammerer et al., PRA 82, 021803 (2010). [3] K. Hammerer et al., PRL 103, 063005 (2009).