Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 37: SYRA: Ultracold Rydberg Atoms and Molecules 3

Q 37.3: Talk

Thursday, March 15, 2012, 11:00–11:15, V7.03

Coherent spectroscopy involving Rydberg states in electrically contacted microcells — •Renate Daschner, Ralf Ritter, Daniel Barredo, Harald Kübler, Robert Löw, and Tilman Pfau — Universität Stuttgart

Micron sized glass cells filled with atomic vapor are promising candidates for quantum devices based on the Rydberg blockade. Due to the strong interaction between two Rydberg atoms, only one Rydberg excitation is possible within a certain volume characterized by the blockade radius (typically few microns). This effect also provides a nonlinearity that is an essential tool for proposals to entangle mesoscopic ensembles and to realize single photon sources. Measurements show, that coherent Rydberg excitation in thermal vapor and micron-sized cells is possible [1].

The large DC Stark shift of Rydberg atoms provides a possibility to induce transmission or absorption in the medium. To address individual cells one needs electrical contact of the cells. This can be done by coating the inside of glass cells for example with a metal. We show first measurements in coated electrically contacted cells where we can shift the signal by more than one linewidth with a DC electric field.

[1] Kübler, H., Shaffer, J. P., Baluktsian, T., Löw, R. & Pfau, T. Coherent excitation of Rydberg atoms in micrometre-sized atomic vapour cells, Nature Photon. 4, 112-116 (2010)