Site-resolved Bragg scattering

TL;DR

This paper investigates how reliably one can detect individual scatterers in a 3D array using Bragg scattering, considering factors like lattice spacing, wavelength, and imaging system parameters, with implications for quantum information processing.

Contribution

It provides a numerical analysis of the factors affecting the optical detection reliability of single scatterers in 3D arrays, linking Bragg scattering modes to array parameters.

Findings

Detection reliability varies with lattice spacing and numerical aperture.

Bragg scattering modes influence detection success.

Results are relevant for atomic quantum information systems.

Abstract

We numerically calculate the reliability with which one can optically determine the presence or absence of an individual scatterer in a randomly occupied 3D array of well-localized, coherently radiating scatterers. The reliability depends in a complicated way on the ratio of lattice spacing to wavelength and the numerical aperture of the imaging system. The behavior can be qualitatively understood by considering the dependence of Bragg scattering modes on lattice spacing. These results are of interest for atomic implementations of quantum information processing.