The Rise of Toroidal Electrodynamics and Spectroscopy.

Toroidal electrodynamics is now massively influencing research in toroidal (Marinov et al. , , 234; Basharin et al. , , 011036; Jeong et al.

Toroidal optical transitions in hydrogen-like atoms.

It is commonly believed that electromagnetic spectra of atoms and molecules can be fully described by interactions involving electric and magnetic multipoles. However, it has recently become clear that interactions between light and matter also involve toroidal multipoles-toroidal absorption lines have been observed in electromagnetic metamaterials. Here, we show that a previously unexplored type of spectroscopy of the hitherto largely neglected toroidal dipolar interaction becomes feasible if, apart from the classical × × toroidal dipole density term responsible for the toroidal transitions in metamaterials, the spin-dependent × term (which only occurs in relativistic quantum mechanics) is taken into account.

Wave Packet Dynamics in Synthetic Non-Abelian Gauge Fields.

It is generally admitted that in quantum mechanics, the electromagnetic potentials have physical interpretations otherwise absent in classical physics as illustrated by the Aharonov-Bohm effect. In 1984, Berry interpreted this effect as a geometrical phase factor. The same year, Wilczek and Zee generalized the concept of Berry phases to degenerate levels and showed that a non-Abelian gauge field arises in these systems.

Laser-induced thermal source for cold atoms.

We demonstrate a simple and compact approach to laser cool and trap atoms based on laser-induced thermal ablation (LITA) of a pure solid granule. A rapid thermalisation of the granule leads to a fast recovery of the ultra-high vacuum condition required for a long trapping lifetime of the cold gas. We give a proof-of-concept of the technique, performing a magneto-optical trap on the 461 nm [Formula: see text] transition of strontium.

Efficient optical pumping of alkaline atoms for evanescent fields at dielectric-vapor interfaces.

We experimentally demonstrate hyperfine optical pumping of rubidium atoms probed by an evanescent electromagnetic field at a dielectric-vapor interface. This light-atom interaction at the nanoscale is investigated using a right angle prism integrated with a vapor cell and excited by evanescent wave under total internal reflection. An efficient hyperfine optical pumping, leading to almost complete suppression of absorption on the probed evanescent signal, is observed when a pump laser beam is sent at normal incidence to the interface.

Two-temperature Brownian dynamics of a particle in a confining potential.

We consider the two-dimensional motion of a particle in a confining potential, subject to Brownian orthogonal forces associated with two different temperatures. Exact solutions are obtained for an asymmetric harmonic potential in the overdamped and underdamped regimes. For more general confining potentials, a perturbative approach shows that the stationary state exhibits some universal properties.

Tailoring optical metamaterials to tune the atom-surface Casimir-Polder interaction.

Metamaterials are fascinating tools that can structure not only surface plasmons and electromagnetic waves but also electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations. The possibility of shaping the quantum vacuum is a powerful concept that ultimately allows engineering the interaction between macroscopic surfaces and quantum emitters such as atoms, molecules, or quantum dots. The long-range atom-surface interaction, known as Casimir-Polder interaction, is of fundamental importance in quantum electrodynamics but also attracts a significant interest for platforms that interface atoms with nanophotonic devices.

Doppler-free approach to optical pumping dynamics in the 6S-5D electric quadrupole transition of cesium vapor.

The 6S-5D electric quadrupole transition is investigated in cesium vapor at room temperature via nonlinear Doppler-free 6P-6S-5D three-level spectroscopy. Frequency-resolved studies of individual E2 hyperfine lines allow one to analyze the optical pumping dynamics, polarization selection rules, and line intensities. It opens the way to studies of transfer of light orbital angular momentum to atoms and the influence of metamaterials on E2 line spectra.

Atomic Response in the Near-Field of Nanostructured Plasmonic Metamaterial.

We report on reflection spectra of cesium atoms in close vicinity of a nanostructured metallic meta-surface. We show that the hyperfine sub-Doppler spectrum of the 6(2)S1/2-6(2)P3/2 resonance transition at 852 nm is strongly affected by the coupling to the plasmonic resonance of the nanostructure. Fine tuning of dispersion and positions of the atomic lines in the near-field of plasmonic metamaterials could have uses and implications for atom-based metrology, sensing, and the development of atom-on-a-chip devices.

Detailed study of an efficient blue laser source by second-harmonic generation in a semimonolithic cavity for the cooling of strontium atoms.

We have constructed a blue laser source consisting of an amplified, grating tuned diode laser that is frequency doubled by a KNbO3 crystal in a compact standing wave cavity and produces as much as 200 mW of internal second-harmonic power. We have analyzed the unusual characteristics of this standing wave cavity to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of this configuration as an alternative to a ring cavity for second-harmonic generation. We emphasize its efficiency and stability and the fact that it has an inherent walk-off compensation, similar to twin crystal configurations.