A simple integrated single-atom detector

Abstract

We present a reliable and robust integrated fluorescence detector capable of detecting single atoms. The detector consists of a tapered lensed single-mode fiber for precise delivery of excitation light and a multimode fiber to collect the fluorescence. Both are mounted in lithographically defined SU-8 holding structures on an atom chip. Rb87 atoms propagating freely in a magnetic guide are detected with an efficiency of up to 66%, and a signal-to-noise ratio in excess of 100 is obtained for short integration times.

3 pages, 3 figures

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• Observing Coherence Effects in an Overdamped Quantum System
• Trapping cold atoms using surface-grown carbon nanotubes
• Atomic entanglement generation and detection via degenerate four-wave-mixing of a Bose-Einstein condensate in an optical lattice
• A microfabricated surface ion trap on a high-finesse optical mirror
• Fast cavity-enhanced atom detection with low noise and high fidelity
• Atom detection in a two-mode optical cavity with intermediate coupling: Autocorrelation studies
• Density ripples in expanding low-dimensional gases as a probe of correlations
• Sensitive Absorption Imaging of Single Atoms in Front of a Mirror
• Probing atoms and molecules close to macroscopic bodies