Collective atom-light interaction, bistability and quantum correlations mediated by an optical cavity

• Grant number: 23/10014-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Principal Investigator: Philippe Wilhelm Courteille
• Grantee: Gustavo Henrique de França
• Host Institution: Instituto de Física de São Carlos (IFSC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/00209-6 - Second generation quantum technologies, AP.TEM

Abstract

Today's most accurate inertial sensors employ atomic interferometry realized by splitting and recombining matter wave trajectories via sequences of laser-pulses. The collective atomic spin states generated during the pulses are subject to intrinsic quantum projection noise, which limits the interferometric resolution for a given atom number and integration time. Novel protocols, however, are able to overcome this standard quantum limit (SQL) by using entangled states of many atoms.The objective of this project is to experimentally study schemes of collective interaction between cold atoms and light mediated by optical cavities in view of creating non-trivial collective spin states. In recent years we mounted an experimental platform where ultracold strontium atoms resonantly driven on a narrow transition strongly interact with the counter-propagating modes of a laser-pumped optical ring cavity. Our recent success in observing for the first time bistable behavior in the quantum regime dominated by atomic saturation encourages our search for possible roads towards the realization of weakly entangled spin-squeezed states for improved quantum sensing.The Institute of Physics of São Carlos combines technical knowledge in the construction of high finesse cavities with know-how in cooling and trapping the atomic species of strontium, which presents particularly favorable properties for applications in atomic interferometry. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

COURTEILLE, PH. W.; RIVERO, D.; DE FRANCA, G. H.; PESSOA JR, C. A.; CIPRIS, A.; PORTELA, M. NUNEZ; TEIXEIRA, R. C.; SLAMA, S.. Photonic bands and normal mode splitting in optical lattices interacting with cavities. PHYSICAL REVIEW A, v. 111, n. 1, p. 18-pg., 2025-01-17. (18/23873-3, 23/10014-0, 19/13143-0, 13/04162-5, 23/16523-4, 24/03884-1, 13/07276-1, 22/00261-8, 23/00866-0)