Atomic Response in the Near-field of Nanostructured Plasmonic Metamaterial

TL;DR

This study investigates how caesium atoms near nanostructured plasmonic metamaterials exhibit altered hyperfine spectra, revealing potential for advanced atom-based sensing and quantum device applications.

Contribution

It demonstrates the influence of plasmonic resonances on atomic spectra in the near-field of nanostructured metamaterials, a novel insight for atom-photon interactions.

Findings

Hyperfine spectra are strongly affected by plasmonic coupling.

Tuning of atomic line positions is achievable near nanostructures.

Implications for atom-based sensing and quantum devices.

Abstract

We report on reflection spectra of caesium atoms in close vicinity of a nanostructured metallic meta-surface. We show that the hyperfine sub-Doppler spectrum of the $6S_{1/2} - 6P_{3/2}$ resonance transition at 852 nm is strongly affected by the coupling to the plasmonic resonance of the nanostructure. Fine tuning of dispersion and positions of the atomic lines in the near-field of plasmonic metamaterials could have uses and implications for the atom-based metrology, sensing and the development of atom-on-a-chip devices.