Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme

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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 40: Poster: Ultra-cold atoms, ions and BEC

A 40.1: Poster

Thursday, March 15, 2012, 16:30–19:00, Poster.V

Direct synthesis of light polarization for state-dependent transport of atoms — •Anna Hambitzer and Sebastian Hild — Institut für Angewandte Physik, Wegelerstraße 8, 53115 Bonn

We report on a new approach for state-dependent transport in a spin-dependent optical lattice. It is based on a direct synthesis of light polarization by employing RF sources integrated with acousto-optic modulators for phase control.

Circulary polarized states are synthesized by superimposing two linearly polarized beams with controlled phase shift.

An interferometrically stable phase difference between the two beams is guaranteed by locking it actively with a heterodyne technique.

Compared to conventional methods [1, 2] this avoids the need of an electro-optic modulator, where rotations on the Poincare sphere are limited by the applicable voltage and restrictions on manufacturing and crystal quality exist. Overcoming these limitations we expect to reach higher polarization purity and large shift distances in the new design.

[1] O. Mandel, M. Greiner, A. Widera, T. Rom, T. W. Hänsch, I. Bloch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 010407 (2003).

[2] M. Karski, L. Förster, J. M. Choi, A. Albert, W. Alt, A. Widera, D. Meschede, arXiv :1102.3356.