Spin Squeezing via One-Axis Twisting with Coherent Light

We propose a new method of spin squeezing of atomic spin, based on the interactions between atoms and off-resonant light which are known as paramagnetic Faraday rotation and fictitious magnetic field of light. Since the projection process, squeezed light, or special interactions among the atoms are not required in this method, it can be widely applied to many systems. The attainable range of the squeezing parameter is S^{-2/5}, where S is the total spin, which is limited by additional fluctuations imposed by coherent light and the spherical nature of the spin distribution.Comment: 4 pages,6 figure

Noise spectroscopy of optical microcavity

The intensity noise spectrum of the light passed through an optical microcavity is calculated with allowance for thermal fluctuations of its thickness. The spectrum thus obtained reveals a peak at the frequency of acoustic mode localized inside the microcavity and depends on the size of the illuminated area. The estimates of the noise magnitude show that it can be detected using the up-to-date noise spectroscopy technique.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figur

Paramagnetic Faraday rotation with spin-polarized ytterbium atoms

We report observation of the paramagnetic Faraday rotation of spin-polarized ytterbium (Yb) atoms. As the atomic samples, we used an atomic beam, released atoms from a magneto-optical trap (MOT), and trapped atoms in a far-off-resonant trap (FORT). Since Yb is diamagnetic and includes a spin-1/2 isotope, it is an ideal sample for the spin physics, such as quantum non-demolition measurement of spin (spin QND), for example. From the results of the rotation angle, we confirmed that the atoms were almost perfectly polarized.Comment: 8 pages, 20 figure

Classification of Light-Induced Desorption of Alkali Atoms in Glass Cells Used in Atomic Physics Experiments

We attempt to provide physical interpretations of light-induced desorption phenomena that have recently been observed for alkali atoms on glass surfaces of alkali vapor cells used in atomic physics experiments. We find that the observed desorption phenomena are closely related to recent studies in surface science, and can probably be understood in the context of these results. If classified in terms of the photon-energy dependence, the coverage and the bonding state of the alkali adsorbates, the phenomena fall into two categories: It appears very likely that the neutralization of isolated ionic adsorbates by photo-excited electron transfer from the substrate is the origin of the desorption induced by ultraviolet light in ultrahigh vacuum cells. The desorption observed in low temperature cells, on the other hand, which is resonantly dependent on photon energy in the visible light range, is quite similar to light-induced desorption stimulated by localized electronic excitation on metallic aggregates. More detailed studies of light-induced desorption events from surfaces well characterized with respect to alkali coverage-dependent ionicity and aggregate morphology appear highly desirable for the development of more efficient alkali atom sources suitable to improve a variety of atomic physics experiments.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; minor corrections made, published in e-Journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology at http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ejssnt/4/0/4_63/_articl

Comment on ‘‘Observation of Berry’s topological phase by use of an optical fiber’’

A Comment on the Letter by Akira Tomita and Raymond Y. Chiao, Phys. Rev. Lett. 57, 937 (1986)