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arXiv · quant-ph/0210090

Towards single-atom detection on a chip

Peter Horak·Bruce G. Klappauf·Albrecht Haase·Ron Folman·Joerg Schmiedmayer·Peter Domokos·E. A. Hinds
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Abstract

We investigate the optical detection of single atoms held in a microscopic atom trap close to a surface. Laser light is guided by optical fibers or optical micro-structures via the atom to a photo-detector. Our results suggest that with present-day technology, micro-cavities can be built around the atom with sufficiently high finesse to permit unambiguous detection of a single atom in the trap with 10 $μ$s of integration. We compare resonant and non-resonant detection schemes and we discuss the requirements for detecting an atom without causing it to undergo spontaneous emission.

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Peter Horak, Bruce G. Klappauf, Albrecht Haase, Ron Folman, Joerg Schmiedmayer, Peter Domokos, E. A. Hinds. 2002-10-11. Towards single-atom detection on a chip. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.67.043806

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