Efficient single photon absorption by a trapped moving atom

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the motion of a trapped atom affects its ability to absorb single photons efficiently, highlighting the importance of timing and control of the atom's center of mass dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a method to optimize single photon absorption by coherently controlling the atom's center of mass motion through trap frequency modulation.

Findings

Coherent control of atomic motion enhances photon absorption efficiency.

Time-dependent trap modulation can compensate for weak confinement.

High absorption efficiency achieved even with weak trapping potentials.

Abstract

The influence of the center of mass motion of a trapped two level system on efficient resonant single photon absorption is investigated. It is shown that this absorption process depends strongly on the ratio between the characteristic time scales of spontaneous photon emission and of the two level system's center of mass motion. In particular, if the spontaneous photon emission process occurs almost instantaneously on the time scale of the center of mass motion coherent control of the center of mass motion offers interesting perspectives for optimizing single photon absorption. It is demonstrated that this way time dependent modulation of a harmonic trapping frequency allows to squeeze the two level system's center of mass motion so strongly that high efficient single photon absorption is possible even in cases of weak confinement by a trapping potential.