Optical resonator device with crossed cavities for optically trapping atoms, and applications thereof in an optical atomic clock, a quantum simulator or a quantum computer

Abstract

An optical resonator device () with crossed cavities, in particular being configured for optically trapping atoms, comprises a first linear optical resonator () extending between first resonator mirrors (A,B) along a first resonator light path () and supporting a first resonator mode, a second linear optical resonator () extending between second resonator mirrors (A,B) along a second resonator light path () and supporting a second resonator mode, wherein the first and second resonator light paths () span a main resonator plane, and a carrier device carrying the first and second resonator mirrors (A,B,A,B), wherein the first and second resonator mirrors () are arranged such that the first and second resonator modes cross each other for providing an optical lattice trap () in the main resonator plane. The carrier device comprises a monolithic spacer body () being made of an ultra-low-expansion material and comprising first carrier surfaces () accommodating the first resonator mirrors (A,B) and second carrier surfaces () accommodating the second resonator mirrors (A,B), wherein the first resonator light path () extends through a first spacer body bore () in the spacer body () between the first carrier surfaces (), and the second resonator light path () extends through a second spacer body bore () in the spacer body () between the second carrier surfaces (). Furthermore, an atom trapping method for creating a two-dimensional arrangement of atoms and an atom trap apparatus, like an optical atomic clock, a quantum simulation and/or a quantum computing device are described.