2021/08/26 by Jackson Ang’ong’a, Ang'ong'a, Jackson, Chenxi Huang +5 · 4 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Frequency and Time Standards #Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph) #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Physics (quant-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2108.11895
openalex publication_date 2021/08/26 · openalex created_date 2021/08/30 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Robust cooling and nondestructive imaging are prerequisites for many emerging applications of neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezers, such as their use in quantum information science and analog quantum simulation. The tasks of cooling and imaging can be challenged, however, by the presence of large trap-induced shifts of their respective optical transitions. Here, we explore a system of 39K atoms trapped in a near-detuned (780 nm) optical tweezer, which leads to relatively minor differential (ground vs. excited state) Stark shifts. We demonstrate that simple and robust loading, cooling, and imaging can be achieved through a combined addressing of the D_\textrm1 and D_\textrm2 transitions. While imaging on the D_\textrm2 transition, we can simultaneously apply Λ-enhanced gray molasses (GM) on the D_\textrm1 transition, preserving low backgrounds for single-atom imaging through spectral filtering. Using D_\textrm1 cooling during and after trap loading, we demonstrate enhanced loading efficiencies as well as cooling to low temperatures. These results suggest a simple and robust path for loading and cooling large arrays of potassium atoms in optical tweezers through the use of resource-efficient near-detuned optical tweezers and GM cooling.