Sub-atom shot noise Faraday imaging of ultracold atom clouds

authored by: M. A. Kristensen, M. Gajdacz, P. L. Pedersen, C. Klempt, J. F. Sherson, J. J. Arlt, A. J. Hilliard
Abstract: We demonstrate that a dispersive imaging technique based on the Faraday effect can measure the atom number in a large, ultracold atom cloud with a precision below the atom shot noise level. The minimally destructive character of the technique allows us to take multiple images of the same cloud, which enables sub-atom shot noise measurement precision of the atom number and allows for an in situ determination of the measurement precision. We have developed a noise model that quantitatively describes the noise contributions due to photon shot noise in the detected light and the noise associated with single atom loss. This model contains no free parameters and is calculated through an analysis of the fluctuations in the acquired images. For clouds containing atoms, we achieve a precision more than a factor of two below the atom shot noise level.
Organisation(s): Institute of Quantum Optics
CRC 1227 Designed Quantum States of Matter (DQ-mat)
External Organisation(s): Aarhus University
Type: Article
Journal: Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
Volume: 50
ISSN: 0953-4075
Publication date: 17.01.2017
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic version(s): http://arxiv.org/pdf/1608.06814 (Access: Open)
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6455/50/3/034004 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{0d6a11dc89b44746ae8f2f2fa6b2b8d3,
title = "Sub-atom shot noise Faraday imaging of ultracold atom clouds",
abstract = "We demonstrate that a dispersive imaging technique based on the Faraday effect can measure the atom number in a large, ultracold atom cloud with a precision below the atom shot noise level. The minimally destructive character of the technique allows us to take multiple images of the same cloud, which enables sub-atom shot noise measurement precision of the atom number and allows for an in situ determination of the measurement precision. We have developed a noise model that quantitatively describes the noise contributions due to photon shot noise in the detected light and the noise associated with single atom loss. This model contains no free parameters and is calculated through an analysis of the fluctuations in the acquired images. For clouds containing atoms, we achieve a precision more than a factor of two below the atom shot noise level.",
keywords = "dispersive imaging, Faraday rotation, non-destructive imaging, sub atom shot noise detection, ultracold atom clouds",
author = "Kristensen, {M. A.} and M. Gajdacz and Pedersen, {P. L.} and C. Klempt and Sherson, {J. F.} and Arlt, {J. J.} and Hilliard, {A. J.}",
year = "2017",
month = jan,
day = "17",
doi = "10.1088/1361-6455/50/3/034004",
language = "English",
volume = "50",
journal = "Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics",
issn = "0953-4075",
publisher = "IOP Publishing Ltd.",
number = "3",
}