Atom Camera: Super-resolution scanning microscope of a light pattern with a single ultracold atom

Abstract

Sub-micrometer scale light patterns play a pivotal role in various fields, including biology, biophysics, and AMO physics. High-resolution, in situ observation of light profiles is essential for their design and application. However, current methods are constrained by limited spatial resolution and sensitivity. Additionally, no existing techniques allow for super-resolution imaging of the polarization profile, which is critical for precise control of atomic and molecular quantum states. Here, we present an atom camera technique for in situ imaging of light patterns with a single ultracold atom held by an optical tweezers as a probe. By scanning the atom's position in steps of sub-micrometers and detecting the energy shift on the spin states, we reconstruct high-resolution 2D images of the light field. Leveraging the extraordinarily long coherence time and polarization-sensitive transitions in the spin structure of the atom, we achieve highly sensitive imaging both for intensity and polarization. We demonstrate this technique by characterizing the polarization in a tightly-focused beam, observing its unique non-trivial profile for the first time. The spatial resolution is limited only by the uncertainty of the atom's position, which we suppress down to the level of quantum fluctuations (~25 nm) in the tweezers' ground state. We thus obtain far better resolution than the optical diffraction limit, as well as than the previous ones obtained with a thermal atom fluctuating in the trap. This method enables the analysis and design of submicron-scale light patterns, providing a powerful tool for applications requiring precise light manipulation.