Nanoscopy of pairs of atoms by fluorescence in a magnetic field

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical method to determine the spatial orientation and distance between two closely spaced atoms by analyzing their fluorescence spectra in a magnetic field, enabling optical nanoscale imaging.

Contribution

It introduces a theoretical framework for using magnetic field-dependent fluorescence spectra to optically image atomic pairs with high precision.

Findings

Spectra are highly sensitive to magnetic field strength and direction.

Method allows optical determination of atomic pair orientation and separation.

Theoretical model includes dipole-dipole interactions and polarization effects.

Abstract

Spontaneous emission spectra of two initially excited closely spaced identical atoms are very sensitive to the strength and the direction of the applied magnetic field. The relevant schemes are considered that ensure the determination of the mutual spatial orientation of the atoms and the distance between them by entirely optical means. A corresponding theoretical description is given accounting for the dipole-dipole interaction between the two atoms in the presence of a magnetic field and for polarizations of the quantum field interacting with magnetic sublevels of the two-atom system.