Novel quantum effects in light scattering from cold trapped atoms

A. Orlowski, M. Gajda, P. Krekora, R. J. Glauber and J. Mostowski

Both far off-resonance and resonant scattering of light from single atoms trapped by 3D harmonic potentials has thoroughly been studied. Novel effects are predicted for different physical regimes. We have shown that dynamics of the atomic center-of-mass strongly influences the scattering cross section. Possibility of using spectrum of the scattered light in far-off-resonance regime to nondestructively measure the temperature of ultracold atoms is advocated: off-resonance scattering can be used as an ‘optical thermometer’. The realistic Compton-like regime in resonant scattering has been investigated in detail. Another interesting quantum effect in resonant regime, which has not been discussed here due to the lack of space, is the time resolved scattering, showing up when the atom can remain in the excited state long enough to make many trips back and forth in the trap before emitting a photon. The possibility of the experimental observation of the predicted effects is now being scrutinized.

Quantum Communication, Computing, and Measurement 2