In situ characterization of an optical cavity using atomic light shift

Area of Science:

• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
• Quantum Optics
• Laser Physics

Background:

• Optical cavities are crucial for manipulating light-matter interactions.
• Trapping neutral atoms requires precise control over potential landscapes.
• Achieving Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) often necessitates complex cooling techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To precisely characterize the optical potential generated within a folded optical cavity.
• To investigate the feasibility of using this optical potential for atom trapping and all-optical BEC.
• To leverage laser light shifts for mapping atomic potential energy.

Main Methods:

• Injecting a distributed-feedback erbium-doped fiber laser (1560 nm) into a folded optical cavity.
• Utilizing cold rubidium atoms to probe the optical potential in situ.
• Spectrally resolving the potential energy via differential light shifts on atomic transitions.

Main Results:

• The optical potential within the cavity was accurately mapped.
• A strong differential light shift was observed on the rubidium probe transition.
• The characterized potential demonstrated suitability for trapping rubidium atoms.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully characterized an optical potential suitable for atom trapping.
• The findings pave the way for achieving all-optical Bose-Einstein condensation directly in the resonator.
• This method offers a promising route for advanced quantum manipulation and atom condensation.