Optical Interface Created by Laser-Cooled Atoms Trapped in the Evanescent Field Surrounding an Optical Nanofiber

TLDR

Trapping and optically interfacing laser‑cooled neutral atoms are essential for advanced quantum technologies. The study simultaneously realizes trapping and optical interfacing of cesium atoms using a multicolor evanescent field around an optical nanofiber. Atoms are localized in a one‑dimensional optical lattice about 200 nm above the nanofiber surface and interrogated with resonant light sent through the fiber. The technique enables direct integration of laser‑cooled atoms into fiber networks and is well suited for hybrid quantum systems combining atoms with solid‑state devices.

Abstract

Trapping and optically interfacing laser-cooled neutral atoms are essential requirements for their use in advanced quantum technologies. Here we simultaneously realize both of these tasks with cesium atoms interacting with a multicolor evanescent field surrounding an optical nanofiber. The atoms are localized in a one-dimensional optical lattice about 200 nm above the nanofiber surface and can be efficiently interrogated with a resonant light field sent through the nanofiber. Our technique opens the route towards the direct integration of laser-cooled atomic ensembles within fiber networks, an important prerequisite for large scale quantum communication schemes. Moreover, it is ideally suited to the realization of hybrid quantum systems that combine atoms with, e.g., solid state quantum devices.