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Fabrication And Characterization Of Photonic Crystal Slow Light Waveguides And Cavities
Published on: November 30, 2012
Cavity-controlled collective scattering at the recoil limit
Simone Bux1, Christine Gnahm, Reinhardt A W Maier
1Physikalisches Institut, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Physical Review Letters
|June 15, 2011
Summary
We demonstrate Bose-Einstein condensates scattering light into cavity modes, not condensate shapes. This allows cavity filtering of specific quantized momentum states for advanced quantum control.
Area of Science:
- Quantum optics
- Atomic physics
- Condensed matter physics
Background:
- Collective light scattering by Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) is a key phenomenon in quantum optics.
- Previous experiments showed scattering determined by condensate geometry, limiting control.
- High-finesse ring cavities offer precise mode control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate collective scattering of BECs into a high-finesse ring cavity.
- To explore the use of cavity modes to dictate scattered light properties.
- To demonstrate cavity-based filtering of quantized momentum states.
Main Methods:
- Interaction of a BEC with a transverse pump beam within a high-finesse ring cavity.
- Observation of superradiant scattering into cavity modes.
- Analysis of recoil-shifted frequency dependence on condensate momentum.
Main Results:
- BECs scatter light superradiantly into cavity modes, not condensate shapes.
- Scattered light frequency is sensitive to the initial momentum of scattered condensate fractions.
- The cavity's high resolution acts as a filter for specific momentum states.
Conclusions:
- Cavity-controlled collective scattering offers a new paradigm beyond geometric constraints.
- This method enables precise selection of quantized momentum states from BECs.
- Potential applications in quantum simulation and precision measurements.
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