2021/09/30 by Emma Deist, Justin A. Gerber, Yue-Hui Lu +2
Physics and Astronomy · #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #Image resolution #Mechanical and Optical Resonators #Microscope #Microscopy #Near-field optics #Near-field scanning optical microscope #Optical microscope #Quantum optics and atomic interactions #Resolution (logic) #Resonator #Wavelength #physics.atom-ph #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.128.083201
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 083201 (2022) · 5 pages, 4 figures; Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett
openalex created_date 2021/09/27 · openalex publication_date 2022/02/22 · arxiv created 2022/02/28 · arxiv updated 2022/03/02 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We realize a scanning probe microscope using single trapped 87Rb atoms to measure optical fields with subwavelength spatial resolution. Our microscope operates by detecting fluorescence from a single atom driven by near-resonant light and determining the ac Stark shift of an atomic transition from other local optical fields via the change in the fluorescence rate. We benchmark the microscope by measuring two standing-wave Gaussian modes of a Fabry-Pérot resonator with optical wavelengths of 1560 nm and 781 nm. We attain a spatial resolution of 300 nm, which is superresolving compared to the limit set by the 780 nm wavelength of the detected light. Sensitivity to short length scale features is enhanced by adapting the sensor to characterize an optical field via the force it exerts on the atom.