Single-atom experiments and the test of fundamental quantum physics

Herbert Walther

doi:10.1117/12.130390

28 October 1992 Single-atom experiments and the test of fundamental quantum physics

Herbert Walther

Proceedings Volume 1726, 1992 Shanghai International Symposium on Quantum Optics; (1992) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.130390
Event: 1992 Shanghai International Symposium on Quantum Optics, 1992, Shanghai, China

Abstract

The work on the one-atom maser is reviewed. The superconducting maser cavity made of niobium and cooled to 0.5 K to exclude thermal photons has a quality factor of 3 X 10¹⁰. Velocity-selected Rydberg atoms pump the maser. The field inside the cavity is investigated by probing the atoms leaving the cavity. The dynamics of the Rabi nutation were investigated. Furthermore, the statistics of the photons in the cavity were determined to be sub-Poissonian corresponding to photon-number fluctuations of 70% below the vacuum-state limit. The one-atom maser is the only maser system which leads to nonclassical radiation even when pumping processes with Poissonian statistics are used. Some applications of the one- atom maser to study the quantum measurement process also are discussed.

Citation Download Citation

Herbert Walther "Single-atom experiments and the test of fundamental quantum physics", Proc. SPIE 1726, 1992 Shanghai International Symposium on Quantum Optics, (28 October 1992); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.130390

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