An optical conveyor belt for single neutral atoms

D  Schrader; S  Kuhr; W  Alt; M  Muller; V  Gomer; D  Meschede

doi:10.1007/s003400100722

An optical conveyor belt for single neutral atoms

D Schrader, S Kuhr, W Alt, M Muller, V Gomer, D Meschede

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review

89 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Using optical dipole forces we have realized controlled transport of a single or any desired small number of neutral atoms over a distance of a centimeter with sub-micrometer precision. A standing wave dipole trap is loaded with a prescribed number of cesium atoms from a magneto-optical trap. Mutual detuning of the counter-propagating laser beams moves the interference pattern, allowing us to accelerate and stop the atoms at preselected points along the standing wave. The transportation efficiency is close to 100%. This optical 'single-atom conveyor belt' represents a versatile tool for future experiments requiring deterministic delivery of a prescribed number of atoms on demand.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	819-824
Number of pages	6
Journal	Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics
Volume	73
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s003400100722
Publication status	Published - Dec 2001

Keywords

optical conveyor belt
single neutral atoms
optical dipole forces
standing wave dipole trap
cesium atoms
magneto-optical trap

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10.1007/s003400100722

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title = "An optical conveyor belt for single neutral atoms",

abstract = "Using optical dipole forces we have realized controlled transport of a single or any desired small number of neutral atoms over a distance of a centimeter with sub-micrometer precision. A standing wave dipole trap is loaded with a prescribed number of cesium atoms from a magneto-optical trap. Mutual detuning of the counter-propagating laser beams moves the interference pattern, allowing us to accelerate and stop the atoms at preselected points along the standing wave. The transportation efficiency is close to 100%. This optical 'single-atom conveyor belt' represents a versatile tool for future experiments requiring deterministic delivery of a prescribed number of atoms on demand.",

keywords = "optical conveyor belt, single neutral atoms, optical dipole forces, standing wave dipole trap, cesium atoms , magneto-optical trap",

author = "D Schrader and S Kuhr and W Alt and M Muller and V Gomer and D Meschede",

year = "2001",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1007/s003400100722",

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journal = "Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics",

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T1 - An optical conveyor belt for single neutral atoms

AU - Schrader, D

AU - Kuhr, S

AU - Alt, W

AU - Muller, M

AU - Gomer, V

AU - Meschede, D

PY - 2001/12

Y1 - 2001/12

N2 - Using optical dipole forces we have realized controlled transport of a single or any desired small number of neutral atoms over a distance of a centimeter with sub-micrometer precision. A standing wave dipole trap is loaded with a prescribed number of cesium atoms from a magneto-optical trap. Mutual detuning of the counter-propagating laser beams moves the interference pattern, allowing us to accelerate and stop the atoms at preselected points along the standing wave. The transportation efficiency is close to 100%. This optical 'single-atom conveyor belt' represents a versatile tool for future experiments requiring deterministic delivery of a prescribed number of atoms on demand.

AB - Using optical dipole forces we have realized controlled transport of a single or any desired small number of neutral atoms over a distance of a centimeter with sub-micrometer precision. A standing wave dipole trap is loaded with a prescribed number of cesium atoms from a magneto-optical trap. Mutual detuning of the counter-propagating laser beams moves the interference pattern, allowing us to accelerate and stop the atoms at preselected points along the standing wave. The transportation efficiency is close to 100%. This optical 'single-atom conveyor belt' represents a versatile tool for future experiments requiring deterministic delivery of a prescribed number of atoms on demand.

KW - optical conveyor belt

KW - single neutral atoms

KW - optical dipole forces

KW - standing wave dipole trap

KW - cesium atoms

KW - magneto-optical trap

U2 - 10.1007/s003400100722

DO - 10.1007/s003400100722

M3 - Editorial

SN - 0946-2171

VL - 73

SP - 819

EP - 824

JO - Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics

JF - Applied Physics B: Lasers and Optics

IS - 8

ER -

An optical conveyor belt for single neutral atoms

Abstract

Keywords

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