Resonance Fluorescence of a Single Artificial Atom

TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental observation of resonance fluorescence from a single superconducting artificial atom, demonstrating strong atom-field interactions in a one-dimensional open space, with implications for quantum optics and photonics.

Contribution

It provides the first quantitative demonstration of resonance fluorescence from a single artificial atom in a one-dimensional open space.

Findings

High extinction of propagating waves indicates strong atom-field interaction

Behavior matches quantum optics predictions for a pointlike scatterer

Potential for controllable artificial atoms in quantum technologies

Abstract

An atom in open space can be detected by means of resonant absorption and reemission of electromagnetic waves, known as resonance fluorescence, which is a fundamental phenomenon of quantum optics. We report on the observation of scattering of propagating waves by a single artificial atom. The behavior of the artificial atom, a superconducting macroscopic two-level system, is in a quantitative agreement with the predictions of quantum optics for a pointlike scatterer interacting with the electromagnetic field in one-dimensional open space. The strong atom-field interaction as revealed in a high degree of extinction of propagating waves will allow applications of controllable artificial atoms in quantum optics and photonics.