arXiv · 0811.3993
Atomic Bloch-Zener oscillations for sensitive force measurements in a cavity
Abstract
Cold atoms in an optical lattice execute Bloch-Zener oscillations when they are accelerated. We have performed a theoretical investigation into the case when the optical lattice is the intra-cavity field of a driven Fabry-Perot resonator. When the atoms oscillate inside the resonator, we find that their back-action modulates the phase and intensity of the light transmitted through the cavity. We solve the coupled atom-light equations self-consistently and show that, remarkably, the Bloch period is unaffected by this back-action. The transmitted light provides a way to observe the oscillation continuously, allowing high precision measurements to be made with a small cloud of atoms.
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B. Prasanna Venkatesh, M. Trupke, E. A. Hinds, D. H. J. O'Dell. 2009-11-23. Atomic Bloch-Zener oscillations for sensitive force measurements in a cavity. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.80.063834
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