Single vortex fluctuations in a superconducting chip as generating dephasing and spin flips in cold atom traps

We study trapping of a cold atom by a single vortex line in an extreme type II superconducting chip, allowing for pinning and friction. We evaluate the atom's spin flip rate and its dephasing due to the vortex fluctuations in equilibrium and find that they decay rapidly when the distance to the vortex exceeds the magnetic penetration length. We find that there are special spin orientations, depending on the spin location relative to the vortex, at which spin dephasing is considerably reduced while perpendicular directions have a reduced spin flip rate. We also show that the vortex must be perpendicular to the surface for a general shape vortex.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Exchange bias effect and intragranular magnetoresistance in Nd$_{0.84}Sr_{0.16}CoO_3

Electrical transport properties as a function of magnetic field and time have been investigated in polycrystalline, Nd_{0.84}Sr_{0.16}CoO_3. A strong exchange bias (EB) effect is observed associated with the fairly large intragranular magnetoresistance (MR). The EB effect observed in the MR curve is compared with the EB effect manifested in magnetic hysteresis loop. Training effect, described as the decrease of EB effect when the sample is successively field-cycled at a particular temperature, has been observed in the shift of the MR curve. Training effect could be analysed by the successful models. The EB effect, MR and a considerable time dependence in MR are attributed to the intrinsic nanostructure giving rise to the varieties of magnetic interfaces in the grain interior

Monitoring stimulated emission at the single photon level in one-dimensional atoms

We theoretically investigate signatures of stimulated emission at the single photon level for a two-level atom interacting with a one-dimensional light field. We consider the transient regime where the atom is initially excited, and the steady state regime where the atom is continuously driven with an external pump. The influence of pure dephasing is studied, clearly showing that these effects can be evidenced with state of the art solid state devices. We finally propose a scheme to demonstrate the stimulation of one optical transition by monitoring another one, in three-level one-dimensional atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. Improved introduction; Comments adde

Realization of a superconducting atom chip

We have trapped rubidium atoms in the magnetic field produced by a superconducting atom chip operated at liquid Helium temperatures. Up to $8.2\cdot 10^5$ atoms are held in a Ioffe-Pritchard trap at a distance of 440 $\mu$m from the chip surface, with a temperature of 40 $\mu$K. The trap lifetime reaches 115 s at low atomic densities. These results open the way to the exploration of atom--surface interactions and coherent atomic transport in a superconducting environment, whose properties are radically different from normal metals at room temperature.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

High-resolution spatial mapping of a superconducting NbN wire using single-electron detection

Superconducting NbN wires have recently received attention as detectors for visible and infrared photons. We present experiments in which we use a NbN wire for high-efficiency (40 %) detection of single electrons with keV energy. We use the beam of a scanning electron microscope as a focussed, stable, and calibrated electron source. Scanning the beam over the surface of the wire provides a map of the detection efficiency. This map shows features as small as 150 nm, revealing wire inhomogeneities. The intrinsic resolution of this mapping method, superior to optical methods, provides the basis of a characterization tool relevant for photon detectors.Comment: 2009 IEEE Toronto International Conference, Science and Technology for Humanity (TIC-STH

Entanglement of a Mesoscopic Field with an Atom induced by Photon Graininess in a Cavity

We observe that a mesoscopic field made of several tens of microwave photons exhibits quantum features when interacting with a single Rydberg atom in a high-Q cavity. The field is split into two components whose phases differ by an angle inversely proportional to the square root of the average photon number. The field and the atomic dipole are phase-entangled. These manifestations of photon graininess vanish at the classical limit. This experiment opens the way to studies of large Schrodinger cat states at the quantum-classical boundary

Surface effects in nanoparticles: application to maghemite γ\gamma-Fe_{2}O_{3}

We present a microscopic model for nanoparticles, of the maghemite ($\gamma$% -Fe$_{2}$O$_{3}$) type, and perform classical Monte Carlo simulations of their magnetic properties. On account of M\"{o}ssbauer spectroscopy and high-field magnetisation results, we consider a particle as composed of a core and a surface shell of constant thickness. The magnetic state in the particle is described by the anisotropic classical Dirac-Heisenberg model including exchange and dipolar interactions and bulk and surface anisotropy. We consider the case of ellipsoidal (or spherical) particles with free boundaries at the surface. Using a surface shell of constant thickness ($\sim 0.35$ nm) we vary the particle size and study the effect of surface magnetic disorder on the thermal and spatial behaviors of the net magnetisation of the particle. We study the shift in the surface ``critical region'' for different surface-to-core ratios of the exchange coupling constants. It is also shown that the profile of the local magnetisation exhibits strong temperature dependence, and that surface anisotropy is reponsible for the non saturation of the magnetisation at low temperatures.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, to appear in Eur. Phys. J.