5 research outputs found
A Single-Photon Server with Just One Atom
Neutral atoms are ideal objects for the deterministic processing of quantum
information. Entanglement operations have been performed by photon exchange or
controlled collisions. Atom-photon interfaces were realized with single atoms
in free space or strongly coupled to an optical cavity. A long standing
challenge with neutral atoms, however, is to overcome the limited observation
time. Without exception, quantum effects appeared only after ensemble
averaging. Here we report on a single-photon source with one-and-only-one atom
quasi permanently coupled to a high-finesse cavity. Quasi permanent refers to
our ability to keep the atom long enough to, first, quantify the
photon-emission statistics and, second, guarantee the subsequent performance as
a single-photon server delivering up to 300,000 photons for up to 30 seconds.
This is achieved by a unique combination of single-photon generation and atom
cooling. Our scheme brings truly deterministic protocols of quantum information
science with light and matter within reach.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Nano Positioning of Single Atoms in a Micro Cavity
The coupling of individual atoms to a high-finesse optical cavity is
precisely controlled and adjusted using a standing-wave dipole-force trap, a
challenge for strong atom-cavity coupling. Ultracold Rubidium atoms are first
loaded into potential minima of the dipole trap in the center of the cavity.
Then we use the trap as a conveyor belt that we set into motion perpendicular
to the cavity axis. This allows us to repetitively move atoms out of and back
into the cavity mode with a repositioning precision of 135 nm. This makes
possible to either selectively address one atom of a string of atoms by the
cavity, or to simultaneously couple two precisely separated atoms to a higher
mode of the cavity.Comment: 4 pages 5 figure
Vacuum-stimulated cooling of single atoms in three dimensions
Taming quantum dynamical processes is the key to novel applications of
quantum physics, e.g. in quantum information science. The control of
light-matter interactions at the single-atom and single-photon level can be
achieved in cavity quantum electrodynamics, in particular in the regime of
strong coupling where atom and cavity form a single entity. In the optical
domain, this requires permanent trapping and cooling of an atom in a
micro-cavity. We have now realized three-dimensional cavity cooling and
trapping for an orthogonal arrangement of cooling laser, trap laser and cavity
vacuum. This leads to average single-atom trapping times exceeding 15 seconds,
unprecedented for a strongly coupled atom under permanent observation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Penetration and delivery characteristics of repetitive microjet injection into the skin
Drugs can be delivered transdermally using jet injectors, which can be an advantageous route compared to oral administration. However, these devices inject large volumes deep into the skin or tissues underneath the skin often causing bruising and pain. This may be prevented by injecting smaller volumes at lower depth in a repetitive way using a microjet injection device. Such a device could be used to apply drugs in a controllable and sustainable manner. However, the efficacy of microjet injection has been rarely examined. In this study, the penetration and delivery capacity was examined of a repetitive microjet injection device. Various experiments were performed on epidermal and full-thickness ex vivo human as well as ex vivo porcine skin samples. Results revealed that microjets with a velocity exceeding 90 m/s penetrated an epidermal skin sample with a delivery efficiency of approximately 96%. In full-thickness human skin, the delivery efficiency drastically decreased to a value of approximately 12%. Experiments on full-thickness skin revealed that the microjets penetrated to a depth corresponding to the transition between the papillary and reticular dermis. This depth did not further increase with increasing number of microjets. In vivo studies on rats indicated that intact insulin was absorbed into the systemic circulation. Hence, the microjet injection device was able to deliver medication into the skin, although the drug delivery efficiency should be increased