Collective self-trapping of atoms in a cavity

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that cold atoms can be collectively self-trapped in a high-finesse cavity mode, where the atoms' collective action modifies the cavity resonance to enable trapping, showing a novel collective light-matter interaction.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of collective self-trapping of atoms in a cavity, highlighting the importance of atomic collective behavior in optical trapping mechanisms.

Findings

Atoms require collective action to be trapped in the cavity.

Atoms shift the cavity mode frequency closer to resonance.

The trap exhibits non-exponential collapse due to back-action.

Abstract

We experimentally demonstrate optical dipole trapping of a cloud of cold atoms by means of a dynamically coupled mode of a high-finesse cavity. We show that the trap requires a collective action of the atoms, i.e. a single atom would not be trapped under the same laser drive conditions. The atoms pull the frequency of the mode closer to resonance, thereby allowing the necessary light intensity for trapping into the cavity. The back-action of the atoms on the trapping light mode is also manifested by the non-exponential collapse of the trap.