Laser Sources

Optical physics with single atoms and photons

12.03.2008 - Photonik international 1/2008 |  [ deutsche Version lesen ]

In recent years, remarkable advances in laser-based techniques for cooling, confining, and coherently manipulating atoms have provided a rich set of tools for the investigation of quantum optical effects. The synthesis of these new techniques with cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), which investigates atom-photon interactions as mediated by their mutual coupling to an electromagnetic resonator, has born deep, new insight into the interplay between single atoms and photons. This article offers an introduction to the science of cavity QED in the regime of strong coupling between atom and electromagnetic field. We also provide a survey of recent experimental results from our research group including the demonstration of a ”one-atom laser” consisting of a single, driven atom bound to an optical cavity.

Photonik I1/2008
Authors: Russell Miller, H. Jeff Kimble, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, California, USA2

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