Accurate Atom Counting in Mesoscopic Ensembles

TL;DR

This paper explores the limits of resonant fluorescence detection for precise atom counting in mesoscopic atomic ensembles, achieving single-atom resolution up to 1200 atoms, crucial for quantum metrology.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of noise sources and demonstrates high-precision atom counting in ensembles of over a thousand atoms, advancing quantum measurement techniques.

Findings

Single-atom resolution up to 1200 atoms achieved

Identified primary noise sources affecting measurement precision

Established the feasibility of precise atom counting for quantum applications

Abstract

Many cold atom experiments rely on precise atom number detection, especially in the context of quantum-enhanced metrology where effects at the single particle level are important. Here, we investigate the limits of atom number counting via resonant fluorescence detection for mesoscopic samples of trapped atoms. We characterize the precision of these fluorescence measurements beginning from the single-atom level up to more than one thousand. By investigating the primary noise sources, we obtain single-atom resolution for atom numbers as high as 1200. This capability is an essential prerequisite for future experiments with highly entangled states of mesoscopic atomic ensembles.