Transmission spectroscopy of a single atom in the presence of tensor light shifts

TL;DR

This paper studies how Zeeman and light shifts affect the transmission spectrum of a single trapped Rubidium atom, revealing conditions for optimized light-atom interaction and coherence for quantum information.

Contribution

It demonstrates control over spectral features via magnetic field and trap depth, advancing single-atom spectroscopy for quantum tech applications.

Findings

Spectral shape transitions from broad resonances to narrow Lorentzian

High resonant extinction achieved with increased magnetic field and reduced trap depth

Experimental setup supports efficient light-atom coupling and long coherence times

Abstract

We investigate the interplay between Zeeman and light shifts in the transmission spectrum of an optically trapped, spin-polarized Rubidium atom. The spectral shape of the transmission changes from multiple, broad resonances to a single, narrow Lorentzian with a high resonant extinction value when we increase the magnetic field strength and lower the depth of the dipole trap. We present an experimental configuration well-suited for quantum information applications in that it enables not only efficient light-atom coupling but also a long coherence time between ground state hyperfine levels.