Coherent backscattering of light off one-dimensional atomic strings

Understand

We present the first experimental realization of coherent Bragg scattering off a one-dimensional (1D) system -- two strings of atoms strongly coupled to a single photonic mode -- realized by trapping atoms in the evanescent field of a tapered optical fiber (TOF), which also guides the probe light.

• We report nearly 12% power reflection from strings containing only about one thousand cesium atoms, an enhancement of two orders of magnitude compared to reflection from randomly positioned atoms.
• This result paves the road towards collective strong coupling in 1D atom-photon systems.
• Our approach also allows for a straightforward fiber connection between several distant 1D atomic crystals.