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Combining Cavity QED and Atom Chips

Thomas Purdy, University of California, Berkeley

(Session : Thursday from )

Abstract. We have created an atom chip/cavity QED device which combines the magnetic trapping technology of atom chips with high finesse optical cavities which attain the single-atom, strong coupling regime of cavity QED. Because the atom chip affords precise control of the position of atoms relative to the standing-wave structure of the cavity mode, we will be able to study and manipulate the coupling between optical and mechanical degrees of freedom of the atom-cavity system at the level where quantum effects play an important role. For instance, in experiments where the goal is to use a cavity to aid in nondestructive atom detection, the atoms need to be tightly confined at the antinode of the cavity standing wave not only to gain the highest sensitivity, but also to avoid measurement backaction induced heating and other mechanical effects. We will discuss the fabrication and operation of our atom chip/cavity QED device. The high current capacity atom chip consists of a micromachined silicon substrate with thick, buried copper wires which can confine atoms to dimensions much less than an optical wavelength. Fabry-Perot optical resonators, are integrated with the chip in a configuration where the optical cavity modes form through micromachined holes which perforate the chip substrate. These resonators allow for single-atom precision detection on chip.