We demonstrate the controlled creation of a $mathrm{^{174}Yb^{2+}}$ ion by photo-ionizing $mathrm{^{174}Yb^+}$ with weak continuous-wave lasers at ultraviolet wavelengths. The photo-ionization is performed by resonantly exciting transitions of the $m
athrm{^{174}Yb^+}$ ion in three steps. Starting from an ion crystal of two laser-cooled $mathrm{^{174}Yb^+}$ ions localized in a radio-frequency trap, the verification of the ionization process is performed by characterizing the properties of the resulting mixed-species ion-crystal. The obtained results facilitate fundamental studies of physics involving $mathrm{Yb^{2+}}$ ions.
The interaction of a cavity with an external field is symmetric under time reversal. Thus, coupling to a resonator is most efficient when the incident light is the time reversed version of a free cavity decay, i.e. when it has a rising exponential sh
ape matching the cavity lifetime. For light entering the cavity from only one side, the maximally achievable coupling efficiency is limited by the choice of the cavity mirrors reflectivities. Such an empty-cavity experiment serves also as a model system for single-photon single-atom absorption dynamics. We present experiments coupling exponentially rising pulses to a cavity system which allows for high coupling efficiencies. The influence of the time constant of the rising exponential is investigated as well as the effect of a finite pulse duration. We demonstrate coupling 94% of the incident TEM00 mode into the resonator.
A single atom in free space can have a strong influence on a light beam and a single photon can have a strong effect on a single atom in free space. Regarding this interaction, two conceptually different questions can be asked: can a single atom full
y absorb a single photon and can a single atom fully reflect a light beam. The conditions for achieving the full effect in either case are different. Here we discuss related questions in the context of an optical resonator. When shaping a laser pulse properly it will be fully absorbed by an optical resonator, i.e., no light will be reflected and all the pulse energy will accumulate inside the resonator before it starts leaking out. We show in detail that in this case the temporal pulse shape has to match the time-reversed pulse obtained by the cavitys free decay. On the other hand a resonator, made of highly reflecting mirrors which normally reflect a large portion of any incident light, may fully transmit the light, as long as the light is narrow band and resonant with the cavity. The analogy is the single atom - normally letting most of the light pass - which under special conditions may fully reflect the incident light beam. Using this analogy we are able to study the effects of practical experimental limitations in the atom-photon coupling, such as finite pulses, bandwidths, and solid angle coverage, and to use the optical resonator as a test bed for the implementation of the quantum experiment.
