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arXiv · 1705.10173

Nonlinear photon-atom coupling with 4Pi microscopy

Yue-Sum Chin·Matthias Steiner·Christian Kurtsiefer
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Abstract

Implementing nonlinear interactions between single photons and single atoms is at the forefront of optical physics. Motivated by the prospects of deterministic all-optical quantum logic, many efforts are currently underway to find suitable experimental techniques. Focusing the incident photons onto the atom with a lens yielded promising results, but is limited by diffraction to moderate interaction strengths. However, techniques to exceed the diffraction limit are known from high-resolution imaging. In this work, we adapt a super-resolution imaging technique, 4Pi microscopy, to efficiently couple light to a single atom. We observe 36.6(3)% extinction of the incident field, and a modified photon statistics of the transmitted field -- indicating nonlinear interaction at the single-photon level.

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Yue-Sum Chin, Matthias Steiner, Christian Kurtsiefer. 2017-05-29. Nonlinear photon-atom coupling with 4Pi microscopy. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-01495-3

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