In-trap fluorescence detection of atoms in a microscopic dipole trap

TL;DR

This paper presents a fluorescence detection method using blue-detuned standing wave light in a microscopic dipole trap, enabling precise counting of multiple atoms with minimal loss.

Contribution

It introduces a novel fluorescence detection technique employing blue-detuned standing waves for efficient atom counting in microscopic traps.

Findings

Able to count from one to about 100 atoms with sub-Poissonian precision

Blue-detuned standing wave reduces atom loss during detection

Demonstrates effective fluorescence detection in a deep microtrap

Abstract

We investigate fluorescence detection using a standing wave of blue-detuned light of one or more atoms held in a deep, microscopic dipole trap. The blue-detuned standing wave realizes a Sisyphus laser cooling mechanism so that an atom can scatter many photons while remaining trapped. When imaging more than one atom, the blue detuning limits loss due to inelastic light-assisted collisions. Using this standing wave probe beam, we demonstrate that we can count from one to the order of 100 atoms in the microtrap with sub-poissonian precision.