Three-dimensional trapping of individual Rydberg atoms in ponderomotive bottle beam traps

Abstract

We demonstrate three-dimensional trapping of individual Rydberg atoms in holographic optical bottle beam traps. Starting with cold, ground-state ${}^{87}$Rb atoms held in standard optical tweezers, we excite them to $n{S}_{1/2}$, $n{P}_{1/2}$, or $n{D}_{3/2}$ Rydberg states and transfer them to a hollow trap at 850 nm. For principal quantum numbers $60⩽n⩽90$, the measured trapping time coincides with the Rydberg state lifetime in a 300~K environment. We show that these traps are compatible with quantum information and simulation tasks by performing single qubit microwave Rabi flopping, as well as by measuring the interaction-induced, coherent spin-exchange dynamics between two trapped Rydberg atoms separated by 40 $\mu$m. These results will find applications in the realization of high-fidelity quantum simulations and quantum logic operations with Rydberg atoms.

5 pages, 5 figures, supplemental material (3 pages, 3 figures)