High-precision three-dimensional Rydberg atom localization in a four-level atomic system*

Abstract

Rydberg atoms have been widely investigated due to their large size, long radiative lifetime, huge polarizability and strong dipole-dipole interactions. The position information of Rydberg atoms provides more possibilities for quantum optics research, which can be obtained under the localization method. We study the behavior of three-dimensional (3D) Rydberg atom localization in a four-level configuration with the measurement of the spatial optical absorption. The atomic localization precision depends strongly on the detuning and Rabi frequency of the involved laser fields. A 100% probability of finding the Rydberg atom at a specific 3D position is achieved with precision of ∼0.031λ. This work demonstrates the possibility for achieving the 3D atom localization of the Rydberg atom in the experiment.