Abstract

Experiments with low average numbers of atoms are of great value for the investigation of quantum optical effects. To avoid disturbing effects like atom number fluctuation and atom-atom interaction it is even more advantegeous to work with an ensemble having a well prepared, definite number of atoms, e.g. a single atom. The possibility of trapping single Cs atoms in a magneto-optical trap has been demonstrated recently [1], We report on first experiments imaging single trapped neutral atoms.

© 1995 Optical Society of America