Cooling of Atoms in Optical Cavities by Collective Dynamics
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Strathclyde
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Atoms in a standing wave of light experience a periodic potential called an optical lattice. The study of cold atoms in an optical lattice has become a major frontier of cold atom physics over the last few years. We propose to open a new domain of this study by having the standing waves within an optical cavity. This is expected to induce new collective effects through the common coupling of the atoms to a single photon mode. For example, we anticipate that collective effects within a cavity can be expected to cool a large number N of atoms or molecules to very low temperatures. As our initial theoretical [1,2] and first incomplete experimental studies [3,4,5] show, maximum cooling rates are expected in the presence of a red-detuned laser field and when the cavity leakage rate is as large as the square root of N times the single-particle coupling constants. The phonons, describing the movement of the particles inside the optical lattice potential, are then continuously converted into photons, which leak out through the cavity mirrors. The result is an evaporation of the kinetic energy in the system on a time scale given by the very large leakage rate of photons through the resonator mirror. We propose to study the cooling and related collective effects that are expected to occur naturally in these nonlinear quantum systems and to compare experimental results with detailed and newly developed theoretical models. The aim of the proposal is to begin a study of these effects through a collaboration of experimenters and theorists, bringing together expertise in cold atoms, cavity QED, quantum physics, many body systems and non-linear dynamics. [1] A. Beige, P.L. Knight, and G. Vitiello, Cooling Many Particles at Once, New J. Phys. 7, 96 (2005).[2] A. Beige, P.L. Knight, and G. Vitiello, Cooling many particles to very low temperatures, Braz. J. Phys. 35, 403 (2005).[3] J. F. Roch, K. Vigneron, P. Grelu, A. Sinatra, J. P. Poizat, and P. Grangier, Quantum Nondemolition Measurements using Cold Trapped Atoms, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 634 (1997). [4] H. W. Chan, A. T. Black, and V. Vuletic, Observation of Collective-Emission-Induced Cooling of Atoms in an Optical Cavity, Phys. Rev. Lett. 90, 063003 (2003).[5] Private communication with Ph. Grangier.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Gordon Robb (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Grießer T
(2010)
A Vlasov approach to bunching and selfordering of particles in optical resonators
in The European Physical Journal D
Hemmerling M
(2010)
Slowing atoms using optical cavities pumped by phase-modulated light
in Physical Review A
Hemmerling M
(2011)
Cavity cooling using intense blue-detuned light
in Journal of Modern Optics
N/a Robb
(2008)
Collective Cavity Cooling Simulations Using a Vlasov Equation
N/a Robb
(2009)
Collective Cavity Cooling Simulations Using a Vlasov Approach
Robb G
(2008)
Enhancement of collective atomic recoil lasing due to pump phase modulation
in Physical Review A
Robb GR
(2007)
Collective atomic recoil lasing with a partially coherent pump.
in Physical review letters
Terças H
(2010)
Erratum: Two-stream instability in quasi-one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates [Phys. Rev. A 79 , 065601 (2009)]
in Physical Review A
Terças H
(2009)
Two-stream instability in quasi-one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensates
in Physical Review A
Description | Invited lecturer at Les Houches Summer School on "Long-Range Interacting Systems", Les Houches, France, August 4-28, 2008. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Visitor : Invited talk : Invited lecturer at Les Houches Summer School on "Long-Range Interacting Systems", Les Houches, France, August 4-28, 2008. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Invited lecturer at Les Houches Summer School on Long-Range Interacting Systems, Les Houches, France, August 4-28, 2008. |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Visitor : Invited talk : Invited lecturer at Les Houches Summer School on Long-Range Interacting Systems, Les Houches, France, August 4-28, 2008. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Invited seminar at INLN, Nice, France |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Visitor : Invited talk : Invited seminar at INLN, Nice, France. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |
Description | Invited seminar at INLN, Nice, France |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Primary Audience | |
Results and Impact | Visitor : Invited talk : Invited seminar at INLN, Nice, France. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008 |