Trapping of Ultracold Atoms in a Hollow-core Photonic Crystal Fiber

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the successful trapping and retrieval of ultracold sodium atoms inside a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber, advancing control of atomic states within optical fibers for quantum applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method to transfer ultracold atoms from free space into a fiber-based optical trap, showing practical loading and retrieval within a hollow-core fiber.

Findings

At least 5% of atoms are loaded into the fiber core.

Atoms can be transferred from free space to the fiber trap.

Atoms can be retrieved outside the fiber after trapping.

Abstract

Ultracold sodium atoms have been trapped inside a hollow-core optical fiber. The atoms are transferred from a free space optical dipole trap into a trap formed by a red-detuned gaussian light mode confined to the core of the fiber. We show that at least 5% of the atoms held initially in the free space trap can be loaded into the core of the fiber and retrieved outside.