A nanoscale quantum interface for single atoms

Neutral atoms are ideal quantum systems: they have long ground-state coherence times and strong optical cycling transitions that enable state detection and preparation. Building quantum networks of atoms interacting through photons is challenging, however, as many schemes for atom-photon interaction are inefficient or hard to scale. We propose a scheme to trap neutral atoms near silver nanowires, which are tightly confining waveguides for surface plasmons. The nanowire tip is used to generate a near-field optical trapping potential, and to enhance and efficiently collect spontaneous emission from the atom. For our experimental parameters, the enhancement may be up to a factor of 10, with a corresponding collection efficiency of 90\%. In this poster, we will focus on recent experimental progress.