Temperature measurement of cold atoms using single-atom transits and Monte Carlo simulation in a strongly coupled atom-cavity system

We investigate the transmission of single-atom transits based on a strongly coupled cavity quantum electrodynamics system. By superposing the transit transmissions of a considerable number of atoms, we obtain the absorption spectra of the cavity induced by single atoms and obtain the temperature of the cold atom. The number of atoms passing through the microcavity for each release is also counted, and this number changes exponentially along with the atom temperature. Monte Carlo simulations agree closely with the experimental results, and the initial temperature of the cold atom is determined. Compared with the conventional time-of-flight (TOF) method, this approach avoids some uncertainties in the standard TOF and sheds new light on determining temperature of cold atoms by counting atoms individually in a confined space. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.