Hannover 2013 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 62: Ultracold atoms: Manipulation and detection

Q 62.1: Talk

Friday, March 22, 2013, 11:00–11:15, F 142

Direct synthesis of light polarization for state-dependent transport of atoms — •Carsten Robens, Andreas Steffen, Anna Hambitzer, Noomen Belmechri, Andrea Alberti, Wolfgang Alt, and Dieter Meschede — Institut für Angewandte Physik der Universität Bonn,Wegelerstr. 8,53115 Bonn

Coherent control of individual atoms in optical lattices have recently proven to be a key asset in simulating physical phenomena, spanning from quantum transport effects typical of solid state physics to artificial gauge fields.
We report on a new approach to transport neutral atoms state-dependently in a spin-dependent optical lattice. The scheme is based on direct synthesis of light polarization by employing RF sources integrated with acousto-optic modulators for phase control.
The optical lattice is formed by superimposing two circularly polarized lattices. An optical phase-locked loop allows us to control with interferometric precision the phase difference between the two lattices. The phase directly corresponds to the relative displacement of the two lattices.
Applying this method to a digital atom interferometer [1], we envisage macroscopic splitting over spatial distances up to 10mm, about a million times larger than the size of each component of the split atom.

[1] A. Steffen, A. Alberti, W. Alt, N. Belmechri, S. Hild, M. Karski, A. Widera and D. Meschede, PNAS109, 9770 (2012)