Evaluation of heating effects on atoms trapped in an optical trap

We solve a stochastic master equation based on the theory of Savard et al. [T. A. Savard. K. M. O'Hara, and J. E. Thomas, Phys, Rev. A 56, R1095 (1997)] for heating arising from fluctuations in the trapping laser intensity. We compare with recent experiments of Ye et al. [J. Ye, D. W. Vernooy, and H. J. Kimble, Phys. Rev. Lett. 83, 4987 (1999)], and find good agreement with the experimental measurements of the distribution of trap occupancy times. The major cause of trap loss arises from the broadening of the energy distribution of the trapped atom, rather than the mean heating rate, which is a very much smaller effect

Full observation of single-atom dynamics in cavity QED

We report the use of broadband heterodyne spectroscopy to perform continuous measurement of the interaction energy between one atom and a high-finesse optical cavity, during individual transit events of $\sim 250$ $\mu$s duration. Measurements over a wide range of atom-cavity detunings reveal the transition from resonant to dispersive coupling, via the transfer of atom-induced signals from the amplitude to the phase of light transmitted through the cavity. By suppressing all sources of excess technical noise, we approach a measurement regime in which the broadband photocurrent may be interpreted as a classical record of conditional quantum evolution in the sense of recently developed quantum trajectory theories.Comment: Submitted to Applied Physics B. Uses Revtex, 13 pages with 11 EPS figure

Rational Behavior Adjustment Process with Boundedly Rational User Equilibrium

This paper extends the framework of “rational behavior adjustment process” (RBAP) to incorporating the “boundedly rational user equilibrium” (BRUE). The proportional-switch adjustment process (PSAP) and the network tatonnement process (NTP) are extended to the BRUE case, and their dynamical equations are shown to be Lipschitz continuous, which guarantees the global uniqueness of the classical solutions. A special group of the BRUE-RBAP is proposed, for which the path flows would increase if the paths are in an acceptable path set, and would decrease otherwise. Classical solutions to this special group of models may not exist. Stability of the BRUE-RBAP with classical solutions is proved with separable link travel cost functions. For nonseparable link travel cost functions, the stability of the BRUE-PSAP is proved. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the evolution processes of BRUE-PSAP and BRUE-NTP under various bounded rationality thresholds and different initial states. The applicability of BRUE-PSAP in larger networks with asymmetric link travel cost functions is also illustrated

Pressure Dependence of Wall Relaxation in Polarized 3^3He Gaseous Cells

We have observed a linear pressure dependence of longitudinal relaxation time ($T_1$) at 4.2 K and 295 K in gaseous $^3$He cells made of either bare pyrex glass or Cs/Rb-coated pyrex due to paramagnetic sites in the cell wall. The paramagnetic wall relaxation is previously thought to be independent of $^3$He pressure. We develop a model to interpret the observed wall relaxation by taking into account the diffusion process, and our model gives a good description of the data

Characterization of high finesse mirrors: loss, phase shifts and mode structure in an optical cavity

An extensive characterization of high finesse optical cavities used in cavity QED experiments is described. Different techniques in the measurement of the loss and phase shifts associated with the mirror coatings are discussed and their agreement shown. Issues of cavity field mode structure supported by the dielectric coatings are related to our effort to achieve the strongest possible coupling between an atom and the cavity.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure