Optical tweezers throw and catch single atoms

Abstract

Single atoms movable from one place to another would enable a flying quantum memory that can be useful for dynamic quantum computing architectures. Guided atoms, e.g., by optical tweezers, provide a partial solution, but the benefit of flying qubits could be lost if they still interact with the guiding means. Here we propose and experimentally demonstrate freely flying atoms that are not guided but instead thrown and caught by optical tweezers. We provide a set of proof-of-principle flying atom demonstrations, which include atom transport through optical tweezers, atom arrangements by flying atoms, and atom scattering off optical tweezers. In experiments, cold rubidium atoms at 40 µK temperature are thrown by accelerating optical tweezers, freely fly with up to a speed of 0.65 m/s and free-flying distance of 4.2 µm, and are recaptured and stopped by decelerating optical tweezers at a transportation efficiency of 94(3)%. Flying atoms suggest possible applications such as defect correction in a tweezer trap atom array, fast atom-array formation, Rydberg-atom collision studies, and dynamic quantum computing architectures.

A Review of Progress about Birefringent Filter Design and Application in Ti:sapphire Laser

“…In the field of quantum simulation, the employed laser source with the continuous frequencytuning ability acts as the optical tweezer to move atoms to specific position [9]. Generally, the broadband gain media used in tunable lasers always have a wide fluorescence spectrum, such as Ti:sapphire crystal [10], Cr:alexandrite crystal [11], Cr:forsterite [12] and so on, which need to stepwise mode selection to realize wavelength tuning finally. Therefore, the coarse frequency selection has to be firstly attached to the importance and considered.…”

Trapping of Rayleigh Spheroidal Particles Using Tightly Focused Higher-Order Vector Vortex Beams

“…Shao et al use infrared optical tweezers to dynamically control the microvascular reperfusion within subdermal capillaries in the pinna of mice [33]. In 2023, Hwang et al performed much in a study aimed at achieving optical tweezers to throw and capture single atoms [34]; the authors experimentally demonstrated that free-flying atoms are not guided, but rather ejected and trapped by optical tweezers; the authors provided a set of proof-of-principle demonstrations of flying atoms, including atom transport through optical tweezers, atom arrangement through flying atoms, and atom scattering over optical tweezers. These developments makes it possible for individual atoms to move from one place to another, helping to make flying quantum memory possible.…”