129 research outputs found
Precision preparation of strings of trapped neutral atoms
We have recently demonstrated the creation of regular strings of neutral
caesium atoms in a standing wave optical dipole trap using optical tweezers [Y.
Miroshnychenko et al., Nature, in press (2006)]. The rearrangement is realized
atom-by-atom, extracting an atom and re-inserting it at the desired position
with sub-micrometer resolution. We describe our experimental setup and present
detailed measurements as well as simple analytical models for the resolution of
the extraction process, for the precision of the insertion, and for heating
processes. We compare two different methods of insertion, one of which permits
the placement of two atoms into one optical micropotential. The theoretical
models largely explain our experimental results and allow us to identify the
main limiting factors for the precision and efficiency of the manipulations.
Strategies for future improvements are discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 18 figure
Spontaneous excitation of an accelerated atom: The contributions of vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction
We consider an atom in interaction with a massless scalar quantum field. We
discuss the structure of the rate of variation of the atomic energy for an
arbitrary stationary motion of the atom through the quantum vacuum. Our main
intention is to identify and to analyze quantitatively the distinct
contributions of vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction to the spontaneous
excitation of a uniformly accelerated atom in its ground state. This gives an
understanding of the role of the different physical processes underlying the
Unruh effect. The atom's evolution into equilibrium and the Einstein
coefficients for spontaneous excitation and spontaneous emission are
calculated.Comment: 13 pages, KONS-RGKU-94-09, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Dynamics, correlations and phases of the micromaser
The micromaser possesses a variety of dynamical phase transitions
parametrized by the flux of atoms and the time-of-flight of the atom within the
cavity. We discuss how these phases may be revealed to an observer outside the
cavity using the long-time correlation length in the atomic beam. Some of the
phase transitions are not reflected in the average excitation level of the
outgoing atom, which is the commonly used observable. The correlation length is
directly related to the leading eigenvalue of the time evolution operator,
which we study in order to elucidate the phase structure. We find that as a
function of the time-of-flight the transition from the thermal to the maser
phase is characterized by a sharp peak in the correlation length. For longer
times-of-flight there is a transition to a phase where the correlation length
grows exponentially with the flux. We present a detailed numerical and
analytical treatment of the different phases and discuss the physics behind
them.Comment: 60 pages, 18 figure files, Latex + \special{} for the figures, (some
redundant figures are eliminated and others are changed
Analysis of Granular Packing Structure by Scattering of THz Radiation
Scattering methods are widespread used to characterize the structure and
constituents of matter on small length scales. This motivates this introductory
text on identifying prospective approaches to scattering-based methods for
granular media. A survey to light scattering by particles and particle
ensembles is given. It is elaborated why the established scattering methods
using X-rays and visible light cannot in general be transferred to granular
media. Spectroscopic measurements using Terahertz radiation are highlighted as
they to probe the scattering properties of granular media, which are sensitive
to the packing structure. Experimental details to optimize spectrometer for
measurements on granular media are discussed. We perform transmission
measurements on static and agitated granular media using Fourier-transform
spectroscopy at the THz beamline of the BessyII storage ring. The measurements
demonstrate the potential to evaluate degrees of order in the media and to
track transient structural states in agitated bulk granular media.Comment: 12 Pages, 9 Figures, 56 Reference
An algebraic approach to the Tavis-Cummings problem
An algebraic method is introduced for an analytical solution of the
eigenvalue problem of the Tavis-Cummings (TC) Hamiltonian, based on
polynomially deformed su(2), i.e. su_n(2), algebras. In this method the
eigenvalue problem is solved in terms of a specific perturbation theory,
developed here up to third order. Generalization to the N-atom case of the Rabi
frequency and dressed states is also provided. A remarkable enhancement of
spontaneous emission of N atoms in a resonator is found to result from
collective effects.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figure
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The leber congenital amaurosis protein AIPL1 and EB proteins co-localize at the photoreceptor cilium
Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction and co-localization of novel interacting proteins with the Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) associated protein aryl hydrocarbon receptor interacting protein-like 1 (AIPL1).
Methods: The CytoTrapXR yeast two-hybrid system was used to screen a bovine retinal cDNA library. A novel interaction between AIPL1 and members of the family of EB proteins was confirmed by directed yeast two-hybrid analysis and co-immunoprecipitation assays. The localization of AIPL1 and the EB proteins in cultured cells and in retinal cryosections was examined by immunofluorescence microscopy and cryo-immunogold electron microscopy.
Results: Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) analysis identified the interaction between AIPL1 and the EB proteins, EB1 and EB3. EB1 and EB3 were specifically co-immunoprecipitated with AIPL1 from SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells. In directed 1:1 Y2H analysis, the interaction of EB1 with AIPL1 harbouring the LCA-causing mutations A197P, C239R and W278X was severely compromised. Immunofluorescent confocal microscopy revealed that AIPL1 did not co-localize with endogenous EB1 at the tips of microtubules, endogenous EB1 at the microtu-bule organising centre following disruption of the microtubule network, or with endogenous β-tubulin. Moreover, AIPL1 did not localize to primary cilia in ARPE-19 cells, whereas EB1 co-localized with the centrosomal marker pericentrin at the base of primary cilia. However, both AIPL1 and the EB proteins, EB1 and EB3, co-localized with centrin-3 in the connecting cilium of photoreceptor cells. Cryo-immunogold electron microscopy confirmed the co-localization of AIPL1 and EB1 in the connecting cilia in human retinal photoreceptors.
Conclusions: AIPL1 and the EB proteins, EB1 and EB3, localize at the connecting cilia of retinal photore-ceptor cells, but do not co-localize in the cellular microtubule network or in primary cilia in non-retinal cells. These findings suggest that AIPL1 function in these cells is not related to the role of EB proteins in microtubule dynamics or primary ciliogenesis, but that their association may be related to a specific role in the specialized cilia apparatus of retinal photoreceptors
Quantum mechanical counterpart of nonlinear optics
Raman-type laser excitation of a trapped atom allows one to realize the
quantum mechanical counterpart of phenomena of nonlinear optics, such as
Kerr-type nonlinearities, parametric amplification, and multi-mode mixing.
Additionally, huge nonlinearities emerge from the interference of the atomic
wave function with the laser waves. They lead to a partitioning of the phase
space accompanied by a significantly different action of the time evolution in
neighboring phase-space zones. For example, a nonlinearly modified coherent
"displacement" of the motional quantum state may induce strong amplitude
squeezing and quantum interferences.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. A 55 (June
Radiative energy shifts of accelerated atoms
We consider the influence of acceleration on the radiative energy shifts of
atoms in Minkowski space. We study a two-level atom coupled to a scalar quantum
field. Using a Heisenberg picture approach, we are able to separate the
contributions of vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction to the Lamb shift
of the two-level atom. The resulting energy shifts for the special case of a
uniformly accelerated atom are then compared with those of an atom at rest.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, 1 figure as uuencoded eps file, shorter version will
appear in Phys. Rev.
Dark States and Interferences in Cascade Transitions of Ultra-Cold Atoms in a Cavity
We examine the competition among one- and two-photon processes in an
ultra-cold, three-level atom undergoing cascade transitions as a result of its
interaction with a bimodal cavity. We show parameter domains where two-photon
transitions are dominant and also study the effect of two-photon emission on
the mazer action in the cavity. The two-photon emission leads to the loss of
detailed balance and therefore we obtain the photon statistics of the cavity
field by the numerical integration of the master equation. The photon
distribution in each cavity mode exhibits sub- and super- Poissonian behaviors
depending on the strength of atom-field coupling. The photon distribution
becomes identical to a Poisson distribution when the atom-field coupling
strengths of the modes are equal.Comment: 15 pages including 7 figures in Revtex, submitted to PR
Polarization instabilities in a two-photon laser
We describe the operating characteristics of a new type of quantum oscillator
that is based on a two-photon stimulated emission process. This two-photon
laser consists of spin-polarized and laser-driven K atoms placed in a
high-finesse transverse-mode-degenerate optical resonator, and produces a beam
with a power of 0.2 W at a wavelength of 770 nm. We observe
complex dynamical instabilities of the state of polarization of the two-photon
laser, which are made possible by the atomic Zeeman degeneracy. We conjecture
that the laser could emit polarization-entangled twin beams if this degeneracy
is lifted.Comment: Accepted by Physical Review Letters. REVTeX 4 pages, 4 EPS figure
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