Year: 2012
Type: article
Abstract: Efficient self-interference of single photons emitted by a sideband-cooled barium ion is demonstrated. First, the technical tools for performing efficient coupling to the quadrupolar transition of a single ${}^{138}$Ba${}^{+}$ ion are presented. We show efficient Rabi oscillations of the internal state of the ion by using a highly stabilized 1.76-$\ensuremath{\mu}$m fiber laser resonant with the ${S}_{1/2}$-${D}_{5/2}$ transition. We then show sideband cooling of the ion's motional modes and use it as a means to enhance the interference contrast of the ion with its mirror image to up to 90$%$. Last, we measure the dependence of the self-interference contrast on the mean phonon number, thereby demonstrating the potential of the setup for single-atom thermometry close to the motional ground state.
Source: Physical Review A
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2059294401