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Single-atom detection using whispering gallery modes of microdisk resonators

Michael Rosenblit, Peter Horak, Steve Helsby, Ron Folman

quant-pharXiv:quant-ph/0407229

Abstract

We investigate the possibility of using dielectric microdisk resonators for the optical detection of single atoms trapped and cooled in magnetic microtraps near the surface of a substrate. The bound and evanescent fields of optical whispering gallery modes are calculated and the coupling to straight waveguides is investigated using finite-difference time domain solutions of Maxwell's equations. Results are compared with semi-analytical solutions based on coupled mode theory. We discuss atom detection efficiencies and the feasibility of non-destructive measurements in such a system depending on key parameters such as disk size, disk-waveguide coupling, and scattering losses.

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