The nanofiber – cold atom platform: A tool for studying light-matter interaction and prospects for interfacing ultracold molecules. – (Max Schemmer / LCAR / Seminar). – 2/07/2024

Max Schemmer Istituto Nazionale di Ottica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR-INO), Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

Seminar LCAR, 2/07/2024, 14H, 3R4, Salle de conférence du bâtiment 3R4

Abstract :
The interaction between light and two-level quantum emitters is a fundamental process in quantum optics. A defining feature of this process is antibunching, i.e., two photons are never detected simultaneously when scattered by a single quantum emitter. This phenomenon is typically explained by the fact that a single two-level quantum emitter can only absorb and emit single photons. In this seminar, I will present a complementary picture supported by two experimental studies [1,2] that demonstrate that photon antibunching arises from quantum interference between two types of two-photon scattering processes, namely coherent and incoherent scattering.
These results were obtained with laser-cooled atoms interfaced with a tapered optical fiber, or nanofiber. Interestingly, the nanofiber platform has been recently proposed to interface ultracold molecules [3], whose complexity opens up new possibilities in fundamental science. I will briefly introduce the challenges and opportunities of ultracold molecules referring to our work in Florence [4]. Finally, I will discuss how I envision assembling ultracold molecules using nanofibers.

References:

• [1] Masters, et al. “Photon Antibunching in Two-Level Quantum Emitters.” Nat. Photonics, 2023.
• [2] Cordier*, Schemmer*, et al. “Quantum Interference in Two-Photon Scattering Processes.” PRL, 2023.
• [3] Márquez-Mijares, et al. “Interfacing Ultracold Molecules with Nanofibers.” Physica Scripta, 2023.
• [4] Finelli, et al. 2024, “Ultracold LiCr: A New Pathway to Quantum Gases of Paramagnetic Polar Molecules“, PRX Quantum