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Quantum control of strong interactions between a single atom and one photon has been achieved within the setting of cavity quantum electrodynamics (cQED) [1]. To move beyond proof-of-principle experiments involving one or two conventional optical cavities to more complex scalable systems that employ N >> 1 microscopic resonators requires localization of atoms on distance scales ~100 nm from a resonator’s surface where an atom can be strongly coupled to a single intracavity photon.

A promising candidate for the realization of such systems is a system of microtoroidal resonators that are optically coupled via tapered nanofibers [2]. Cavity QED interactions between falling single atoms and single intracavity photons in such a system has been achieved in the strong coupling regime [3], followed by demonstrations of dynamic regulation of photon transport [4,5].

Recent study allows observations of perturbative surface effects mediated by atom’s radiative interactions, due to its proximity to the dielectric boundary of the resonator, and cQED dynamics in the strong coupling regime [6,7]. In this initial step into a new regime of cQED, we use real-time detection and high-bandwidth feedback to select and monitor the motion of a single Cesium atom through the evanescent field of a microtoroid. Direct temporal and spectral measurements along with simulations reveal the manifestly quantum nature of strongly coupled atom-cavity dynamics, and the significant role the Casimir effect and light forces play in the atom dynamics. This interplay is significant and important in determining the dynamics of cQED systems involving strongly interacting single atoms in close proximity to resonator boundaries, setting the stage for trapping strongly interacting atoms near micro- and nano-scopic optical resonators. Our research currently focuses on the realization of single atom trapping in this new regime of cavity QED.

Team members:
Jeff Kimble Group
    Current team:
      Daniel J. Alton, Pol Forn-Diaz, Andrew McClung, Martin Pototschnig
      (Alumni: Clement Lacroute, Nathaniel P. Stern, Takao Aoki, Cindy A. Regal, Barak Dayan, Elizabeth Wilcut-Connolly, A. Scott Parkins)
    Collaborators on fiber trap project:
      Akihisa Goban, Ding Ding, Juan Muniz, Jae Hoon Lee
      (Alumni: Kyung S. Choi, Darrick Chang, Tobias Thiele)
Kerry Vahala Group
      Hansuek Lee
      (Alumni: Eric Ostby, Sean Spillane, Tobias Kippenberg)

References:
[1] H. J. Kimble, Nature 453, 1023-1030 (2008).
[2] S. M. Spillane, T. J. Kippenberg, and K. J. Vahala; K. W. Goh, E. Wilcut, and H. J. Kimble, Phys. Rev. A 71, 013817 (2005).
[3] T. Aoki, B. Dayan, E. Wilcut, W. P. Bowen, A. S. Parkins, T. J. Kippenberg, K. J. Vahala, and H. J. Kimble, Nature 442, 671-674 (2006).
[4] B. Dayan, A. S. Parkins, T. Aoki, E. P. Ostby, K. J. Vahala, and H. J. Kimble, Science 319, 1062 (2008).
[5] T. Aoki, A. S. Parkins, D. J. Alton, C. A. Regal, B. Dayan, E. Ostby, K. J. Vahala, and H. J. Kimble, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 083601 (2009).
[6] D. J. Alton, N. P. Stern, Takao Aoki, H. Lee, E. Ostby, K. J. Vahala, and H. J. Kimble, Nature Phys. 7, 159 (2011).
[7] N. P. Stern, D. J. Alton, H. J. Kimble, New J. Phys. 13, 085004 (2011).