Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: Cross-correlation signals are recorded from fluorescence photons scattered in free space off a trapped ion structure. The analysis of the signal allows for unambiguously revealing the spatial frequency, thus the distance, as well as the spatial alignment of the ions. For the case of two ions we obtain from the cross-correlations a spatial frequency ${f}_{\text{spatial}}=1490\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{2}_{\mathrm{stat}}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{8}_{\mathrm{syst}}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{rad}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, where the statistical uncertainty improves with the integrated number of correlation events as ${N}^{\ensuremath{-}0.51\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06}$. We independently determine the spatial frequency to be $1494\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}11\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{rad}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, proving excellent agreement. Expanding our method to the case of three ions, we demonstrate its functionality for two-dimensional arrays of emitters of indistinguishable photons, serving as a model system to yield structural information where direct imaging techniques fail.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Authors: Stefan Richter, Sebastian Wolf, Joachim von Zanthier, Ferdinand Schmidt-Kaler
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3157102014