Optical Control of the Motion and Spin of Cold Atoms for Quantum Simulations with Long-Range Interactions

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Abstract/Contents

Abstract: Systems of laser-cooled atoms can be precisely controlled and detected with light, making them ideal platforms for understanding and engineering matter from the ground up. Long-range interactions, mediated either by Rydberg excitations or by photons in a high-finesse optical cavity, open up a wide range of possibilities for designing Hamiltonians and performing quantum simulations. A key component of these quantum simulations is the ability to prepare both the internal states and positions of the atoms prior to turning on the long-range interactions. We initialize states by deflecting light onto cold atoms using an acousto-optic deflector (AOD). The precise control over the position of deflected beams enables local control over the atoms’ motional and spin degrees of freedom. By manipulating the internal spin states of rubidium atoms, we prepare a spin texture within an optical cavity. We further demonstrate the creation of large arrays of optical tweezers, consisting of focused Gaussian beams of light, to trap and rearrange cesium atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice. Arbitrary spin textures and re-configurable atomic arrays will enable future efforts towards enhanced spin-squeezing for metrological applications, the study of frustrated triangular lattices, and gate operations for quantum information applications.

Type of resource	text
Date created	May 20, 2019

Author	Evered, Simon James
Primary advisor	Schleier-Smith, Monika
Advisor	Hogan, Jason
Degree granting institution	Stanford University, Department of Physics

Related item	Title 2019 Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research
Location	https://purl.stanford.edu/sv678qd2560

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Preferred Citation: Evered, Simon James. (2019). Optical Control of the Motion and Spin of Cold Atoms for Quantum Simulations with Long-Range Interactions. Stanford Digital Repository. Available at: https://purl.stanford.edu/sv678qd2560

Undergraduate Theses, Department of Physics

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