Presented in this thesis is the design and characterization of a new, high-flux source of cold atoms based on continuous, post-nozzle injection of lithium atoms into a cryogenic, supersonic helium jet. To date, experiments have been performed with lithium injection fractions up to [approximately equal to]10⁻⁶, where fluorescence spectroscopy reveals successful capture and thermalization of lithium atoms within the helium jet. The observed lithium beam copropagates with the helium jet and has a temperature of less than 10 mK, a brightness of 1.1x10¹⁹ m⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹, and a brilliance of 3.1x10²⁰ m⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹. Lithium atoms contained within a solid angle of [approximately equal to]0.018 sr are good candidates for future magnetic extraction. This results in a potentially capturable lithium flux of 1.1x10¹² s⁻¹, comparable to the existing record for a cold atomic beam. Also presented is preliminary data showing lithium fluorescence nearly 1 m downstream, demonstrating that the cold lithium beam can be successfully extracted from the seeding region. Numerical simulations reproduce capture efficiency to within 50%, suggesting that the process is well understood. We believe that successful seeding may be possible at a fraction up to 10⁻⁴. Seeding at this rate could produce an atomic beam with a flux as high as 1.3x10¹⁴ s⁻¹ at a phase-space density up to 1.6x10⁻⁷, corresponding to brightness and brilliance of order 10²² m⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹ and 10²⁴ m⁻² s⁻¹ sr⁻¹ , respectively. If this novel cooling method performs as well at higher incident lithium flux, it could serve as a pump source and pave the way to the realization of the first truly continuous atom laser. / text

Neste trabalho, determinamos a constante de taxa de formação molecular para a molécula Rb2, e observamos o comportamento desta constante de taxa como função da intensidade e da freqüência da luz responsável pelo processo de fotoassociação. Nesse sentido, realizamos uma série de experimentos com o intuito de alcançarmos um melhor entendimento sobre o processo de formação molecular e detecção. Neste trabalho aprisionamos os átomos em duas configurações geométricas espaciais diferentes, na forma esférica e na forma de anel. Com os átomos confinados na configuração de anel, desenvolvemos uma nova técnica para o estudo de processos colisionais ultrafrios, onde a existência de eixo preferencial de colisão faz com os átomos aprisionados no anel se comportem com um mini-feixe atômico ultrafrio. / We present a systematic study of the Rb2 molecular dimmers formed in a MOT. We start with the determination of the molecular formation rate constant and have studied it\'s as function of the laser intensity and frequency used in the photoassociation process. The results provided more insights to help the understanding in the molecular formation process We have also probed samples in which the cold atoms were trapped by different geometries with and without a preferential collision axis: spherical/ring shaped MOTs. It was observed that the atoms in the ring shaped MOT present special features due to the collisional axis. This means that they behave like a miniature atomic beam which can be used in many other future experiments.

In the atomic, molecular, optical physics field, processes involving two photons are very well understood and used in applications ranging from spectroscopy to laser cooling technics. In this thesis is presented the study and experimental realization of two two-photon processes. Using sodium atoms trapped in a magnetic optical trap we could demonstrate two-photon cooperative absorption, and that the creation of a molecular bound state using only light fields, or photonic bound state, is possible. Two-photon cooperative absorption, very common in solid-state physics, is a process where a pair of atoms initially in the ground state is excited to the double excited state, via absorption of two photons with frequecy that is not ressonant with any excited state. Its experimental realization with cold atoms may open new and exciting possibilities to better understand nonlinear effects, and it is a new way to create correlated atoms and photons in cold atomic physics. This absorption was observed by ionization of the pair after the excitation. A simple model that considers only dipole-dipole interactions between the atoms allows us to understand the basic features observed in the experimental data. A photonic bound state uses two photons to create the two basic features of a molecular bound state: a repulsive part and an attractive part. A blue photon, blue detuned from the atomic transition, connects the ground state of the pair to the repulsive part of the first excited molecular state 1, and a red photon, red detuned from the atomic transition, connects the connects the ground state of the pair to the attractive part of the first excited molecular state. In the dressed state picture, when the light fields are strong, this three-states-two-photon system creates adiabatic bound potentials that are strongly dependent of the photon properties. Using a theoretical model we could study how this bound energies changes when we change the photon properties, and the experimental data shows that this photos are indeed dressing the potentials with a efficiency that would enable the creation of photonic molecules. / No campo da física atômica, molecular e ótica processos envolvendo dois fótons são bem compreendidos e usados em diversas aplicações. Nesta tese apresentamos o estudo e a realização experimental de dois processos de dois-fótons. Usando átomos de sódio aprisionados em uma armadilha magneto ótica, demonstramos a absorção cooperativa de dois fótons e que a criação de um estado ligado molecular usando somente campos de luz, ou estado ligado fotônico, é possível. Absorção cooperativa de dois fótons, um processo bem comum em física de estado sólido, acontece quando um par de átomos inicialmente no estado fundamental é excitado para o estado duplamente excitado, via absorção de dois fótons de frequência não ressonante com a dos estados excitado. A realização experimental deste processo em um sistema de átomos frios pode abrir novas, e excitantes possibilidades para entender melhor processos não lineares, e é um novo método de criar átomos e fótons correlacionados. Essa absorção foi observada através da ionização do par depois da absorção, e um modelo simples que considera somente interação dipolo-dipolo entre os dois átomos nós ajuda entender as características básicas dos dados obtidos. Um estado ligado fotônico usa dois fótons para criar as duas características básicas dos estados ligados moleculares: a parte repulsiva e a parte atrativa. Um fóton azul, deslocado para o azul da transição atômica, conecta o estado fundamental do par a parte repulsiva do primeiro estado excitado molecular 1, e um fóton vermelho, deslocado para o vermelho da transição atômica, conecta o estado fundamental a parte atrativa do deslocado para o azul da transição atômica. No contexto de estados vestidos, quando os campos de luz são intensos, esse sistema de três estados e dois fótons cria potenciais ligantes adiabáticos que são fortemente dependentes das propriedades desses fótons. Usando um modelo teórico para esses potenciais pudemos estudar como é essa dependência, com as características do fótons, e os dados experimentais mostram que esses fótons estão de fato vestindo os estados com uma eficiência que viabiliza a criação de moléculas fotônicas.

Tendo por objetivo principal a implementação de um laboratório de pesquisa em tempo e freqüência, tomamos como primeiro alvo a ser alcançado a realização da definição primária do segundo, conforme estabelecido pelo BIPM, baseado no átomo de 133CS. Seguindo os passos nessa linha de pesquisa, o laboratório construiu um primeiro padrão baseado em feixe efusivo e operado opticamente. Atualmente, os sistemas com maior capacidade de determinação do segundo são os padrões de átomos frios, denominados chafarizes, dado o seu esquema de funcionamento. O objetivo principal desse trabalho foi o desenvolvimento de um padrão de tempo e freqüência baseado em um sistema de átomos frios, passando por todas as fases de sua implementação. Tais fases dizem respeito à construção de sistemas de controle de lasers de diodo, síntese de freqüências, avaliação de sinais de tempo e freqüência e controle e aquisição dos sinais de interrogação atômica. Adicionada a isso a necessidade de estabelecer um ambiente próprio ao desenvolvimento de tal experimento. Os resultados observados até aqui permitem que sejam estabelecidas novas metas, em busca do refinamento desse padrão. Além disso, os tipos de sistemas abordados são passíveis de utilização no desenvolvimento de outros padrões, tanto primários como secundários, sendo requisitos fundamentais no estabelecimento de metrologia científica de tempo e freqüência. / Having as a main goal the implementation of a research laboratory in time and frequency, we set the first target to be reached the realization of the primary definition of the second, as stated by BIPM, based on the 133CS atom. Following the steps in this research line our laboratory constructed a first standard based on an effusive beam optically operated. Nowadays, the most capable systems in the determination of the second are the cold atoms standards, called fountains, due to their operation mode. The main subject of this thesis is the development of a time and frequency standard based in cold atoms doing all the steps to implement it. These steps concern to the construction of diode lasers control systems, frequency synthesis, time and frequency signal characterization and atomic interrogation signal acquisition, added the need to the establishment of an appropriate environment to develop such experiment. The observed results until now allowed the determination of the new goals in the search of the standard refinement. Moreover, the kind of systems described here can be used in the development of other standards, either primary or secondary, being fundamental requisites in the establishment of time and frequency scientific metrology.

Dans le premier chapitre de la thèse, nous étudions la possibilité d’améliorer le couplage opto- mechanique photon-phonon entre le mode de résonance d’une cavité Fabry-Pérot de haute finesse et les vibrations mécaniques des éléments diélectriques (membranes) à l’intérieur de la cavité. En introduisant un défaut quadratique dans la disposition des membranes, nous montrons que le deux couplages (linéaire et quadratique) augmentent. Enfin, nous proposons un modèle très simple avec lequel on cherche à simuler un cristal photonique quasipériodique. Dans le deuxième chapitre de cette thèse, nous présentons nos résultats de recherche sur le transport d’excitons à travers une cavité visant à augmenter l’efficacité du transport. Le modèle que l’on étudie est une chaîne unidimensionnelle d’atomes froids comprenant chacun deux niveaux énergétiques. Grâce au couplage entre exciton et photon, ces deux quanta s’hybrident et forment deux branches de polariton à l’intérieur de la cavité. Nous avons observé qu’à résonance avec un des deux modes de polariton, on peut transmettre l’exciton via le mode polaritonique dans un temps très court. En outre, le désordre n’affecte la propagation excitonique que de façon algébrique. Dans le troisième chapitre de cette thèse, nous présentons nos résultats de recherche sur la réalisa- tion d’interactions entre photons grâce à la médiation d’atomes ultrafroids piégés dans un réseaux optique unidimensionnelle et placés à l’intérieur d’une fibre à cristaux photoniques. Nous avons détecté un régime dans lequel on peut réaliser le “bunching” photon-photon.Dans le quatrième et dernière chapitre de cette thèse, nous étendons les résultats du chapitre précédent aux atomes de Rydberg. / In the first chapter of this thesis, we study a quasiperiodic array of dielectric membranes inside a high-finesse Fabry-Pérot cavity. We work within the framework of the transfer matrix formal- ism. We show that, in a transmissive regime, the introduction of a quadratic spatial defect in the membrane positions enhances both the linear and quadratic optomechanical couplings between optical and mechanical degrees of freedom. Finally, we propose a theoretical model to simulate a one-dimensional quasiperiodic photonic crystal. In the second chapter of this thesis, we consider the problem of the transport of an exciton through a one-dimensional chain of two-level systems. We embed the chain of emitters in a transverse optical cavity and we show that, in the strong coupling regime, a ultrafast ballistic transport of the exciton is possible via the polaritonic modes rather than ordinary hopping. Due to the hybrid nature of polaritons, the transport efficiency is particularly robust against disorder and imperfections in the system. In the third chapter of this thesis, we consider an ordered array of cold atoms trapped in an optical lattice inside a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber. We study photon-photon interactions mediated by hard-core repulsion between excitons. We show that, in spite of underlying repulsive interac- tion, photons in the scattering states demonstrate bunching, which can be controlled by tuning the interatomic separation. We interpret this bunching as the result of scattering due to the mismatch of the quantization volumes for excitons and photons, and discuss the dependence of the effect on experimentally relevant parameters. In the fourth chapter of the thesis, we extend the results of the previous chapter to Rydberg atoms.

Mon travail de thèse se concentre sur l'étude, à l'aide de techniques numériques, de systèmes de fermions et bosons fortement corrélés. J'étudie Hamiltoniens de bosons sur réseau avec interactions à portée étendue, avant un intérêt pour expériences concernant atomes en états Rydberg-dressed, par moyen de simulations Path Integral Monte Carlo. Mon résultat principal est la démonstration d'un état de superverre en absence de sources de frustration dans le système.J'étudie également la modèle t-J fermionique avec deux trous par moyen de simulationsVariational Monte Carlo avec l’ansatz Entangled Plaquette States (EPS). Mon étude est fondamental en la perspective d'appliquer l'ansatz EPS à autres systèmes fermioniques, d’intérêt pour la supraconductivité à haute temperature, dont le comportement n'a pas encore été déterminé. Finalement, je présente mon travail sur une implémentation de l'algorithme Diagrammatic Monte Carlo. / The focus of my thesis is the investigation, via numerical approaches, of strongly correlated models of bosons and fermions. I study bosonic lattice Hamiltonians with extended--range interactions, of interest for experiments with cold Rydberg-dressed atoms, via Path Integral MonteCarlo simulations. My main result is the demonstration of a superglass in the absence of frustration sources in the system. I also study the fermionic $t-J$ model in the presence of two holes via Variational Monte Carlo with the Entangled Plaquette States Ansatz. My study is foundational to the extension of this approach to other fermionic systems, of interest for high temperature superconductivity, where the physical picture is still under debate (such as, e.g., the $t-J$ model in the case of finite hole concentration). Finally, I discuss my work on an implementation of the Diagrammatic Monte Carlo algorithm.

Dans cette thèse, nous faisons état de la construction d’un dispositif expérimentalcapable de piéger et refroidir un gaz d’ytterbium, dans l’optique de simuler des champsmagnétiques artificiels. Ce dispositif permettra, à terme, de produire et de caractériserdes états quantiques fortement corrélés, semblables aux états rencontrés dans la physiquede l’effet Hall quantique, entier ou fractionnaire.Dans un premier temps, nous décrivons la construction des parties de notre dispositifconsacrées au refroidissement optique de l’ytterbium (174Yb). En particulier, nousprésentons la conception d’un ralentisseur Zeeman, permettant le chargement direct d’unpiège magnéto-optique effectué sur la transition d’intercombinaison 1S0 ! 3P1 de l’ytterbium.Après transport dans un piège optique, une étape de refroidissement évaporatifnous permet d’obtenir des condensats de Bose-Einstein contenant environ 5×104 atomesd’ytterbium. Les condensats produits sont alors chargés dans un réseau optique verticalà la longueur d’onde « magique ».Nous présentons ensuite la construction d’un système laser étroit à 578nm capabled’exciter la transition « d’horloge » 1S0 ! 3P0 de l’ytterbium. Le laser est asservi surune cavité Fabry-Perot de grande finesse servant de référence de fréquence, dont nousavons caractérisé les différentes propriétés. Nous présentons en particulier une méthodepermettant de calibrer rapidement la fréquence absolue de la cavité par comparaison avecune transition de la molécule de diiode.Finalement, nous présentons les résultats d’expériences de spectroscopie effectuées surdes condensats d’ytterbium à l’aide du laser étroit, ainsi que la manipulation cohérentedu condensat sur la transition d’horloge au cours d’expériences d’oscillations de Rabi. Cesexpériences préliminaires ouvrent notamment la voie à la mesure des propriétés colisionnellesde l’ytterbium 174. / In this thesis, we report on the construction of an experiment aimed at trapping andcooling an ytterbium gaz, in order to realize artificial gauge fields. In the long term, thissetup will allow the study of strongly correlated quantum states which are atomic analogsof integer or fractional quantum Hall systems.We will first present the building of our experimental apparatus, and the optical coolingof ytterbium (174Yb). In particular, we will report on the design of a Zeeman slower,allowing for the direct loading of a magneto-optical trap operated on ytterbium’s intercombinationtransition 1S0 ! 3P1. The atomic cloud is then transported in an opticaldipole trap. A subsequent evaporative cooling stage results in the production of Bose-Einstein condensates of about 5 × 104 atoms.We then describe the construction of an ultra-narrow laser system at 578nm, able todrive ytterbium’s « clock » transition 1S0 ! 3P0. The laser frequency is stabilized using ahigh-finesse Fabry-Perot cavity, whose properties are precisely characterized in this work.Specifically, we present a method to calibrate the absolute frequency of the cavity bycomparison with an optical transition of molecular iodine.Finally, we show the results of spectroscopic measurements done on ytterbium condensatesusing the ultra-narrow laser. We also report on the coherent manipulation of thecondensate on the clock transition, consisting in the observation of Rabi oscillations.These preliminary experiments should allow for a measurement of ytterbium’s scatteringproperties.Keywords : cold atoms, optical lattices, Bose-Einstein condensates, ultra-stable lasers,clock transition, quantum simulation.

Au cours de ma thèse, j'ai travaillé à la construction de l'expérience Fermix, consacrée à l'étude d'un mélange de fermions (6Li-40K) à très basses températures où les effets quantiques sont prédominants. Nous présentons ici deux résultats principaux. Premièrement, nous avons développé une nouvelle méthode de refroidissement sub-Doppler qui tire parti de l'existence d'états noirs dans la raie optique D1. Cette mélasse grise permet d'atteindre une densité de l'espace des phases de 10^-4, la valeur la plus élevée rapportée dans la littérature pour le refroidissement laser simultané des deux espèces. Grâce à cette étape, nous avons pu réaliser un gaz fortement dégénéré de 3x10^5 atomes de 40K, répartis dans deux états de spins, à une température de 62 nK, soit 17% de la température de Fermi. D'autre part, nous introduisons une transformation canonique pour montrer l'équivalence formelle entre le comportement de particules ultra-relativistes sans interactions (particules de Weyl) dans un potentiel harmonique et celui de fermions froids confinés dans un piège quadrupolaire. Nous étudions expérimentalement, numériquement et théoriquement la relaxation de tels systèmes vers un état stationnaire, non-Botlzmanien, caractérisé par des températures effectives fortement anisotropes. Cette analogie permet également d'interpréter des propriétés caractéristiques des particules relativistes. Ainsi, nous montrons que le paradoxe de Klein est analogue aux pertes Majorana. Pour finir, nous proposons une étude théorique des interactions médiées à longue distance par un système en dimensions mixtes. / During my PhD, I contributed to the design and construction of the Fermix experiment, dedicated to the study of a 6Li-40K fermionic mixture at ultra low temperatures. Our main results are twofold. First, we developed a new sub-Doppler laser cooling scheme, taking advantage of the existence of dark states in the D1 line of alkali atoms. This so-called \emph{grey molasses} allows for a phase space density up to $10^{-4}$, the highest value reported for the simultaneous laser cooling of those two species. The improvement due to this cooling step enabled the production of a quantum degenerate 40K gas in a dipole trap, with 3x10^5 atoms in two spin states at 62 nK, corresponding to 17% of the Fermi temperature. Second, introducing a canonical mapping, we showed that non-interacting ultra-relativistic particles (Weyl fermions) in a harmonic trap can be simulated by cold fermions confined in a quadrupole potential. We study experimentally, numerically and theoretically the relaxation of these systems towards a steady state which can not be described by a Boltzman distribution, but rather presents strongly anisotropic effective temperatures. This analogy also allows us to translate fundamental properties of relativistic particles in the language of cold atoms. In particular, we demonstrate that the Klein paradox is equivalent to Majorana losses.Finally, we present a theoretical study of the long range interactions between particles confined in two 2D layers immersed in a 3D atomic cloud.

Cette thèse décrit le développement de deux outils originaux pour l’interférométrie atomique. Le premier est une cavité optique à haute finesse pour la manipulation d’atomes ultra-froids de 87Rb. Cette cavité est d’abord utilisée pour augmenter l’intensité d’un piège dipolaire optique qui permet de piéger et refroidir les atomes. Ainsi, en procédant à un refroidissement par évaporation de l’échantillon atomique, nous avons atteint le régime de condensation de Bose-Einstein. La cavité étant non dégénérée, elle permet également l’injection de différents modes transverses électromagnétiques. Nous avons alors démontré la création et la manipulation de réseau d’ensembles atomiques en utilisant ces modes. La mesure successive de ces ensembles atomiques au cours d’une séquence d’interférométrie atomique permettrait d’augmenter le temps de mesure et ainsi d‘améliorer la sensibilité de l’instrument. Deuxièmement, l’utilisation d’une mesure faible non destructive sur les atomes permet de soutirer de l’information du système sans le perturber. En appliquant une rétroaction après ces mesures, l’état quantique peut être contrôlé. Par l’utilisation d’une séquence de Ramsey adaptée avec des mesures faibles et des corrections de phase, nous avons ainsi démontré la réalisation d’une boucle à verrouillage de phase entre un oscillateur local et l’état atomique. Nous avons ensuite démontré que ce protocole améliore la stabilité d’une horloge atomique en surpassant la limite de stabilité de l’oscillateur local. Nous avons également validé l’utilisation de la plate-forme laser commercial EYLSA de Quantel sur deux expériences de refroidissement d’atomes par laser. / This thesis reports the development of two original tools for atom interferometry.The first is a high finesse optical cavity for the manipulation of 87Rb cold atoms. This cavity isfirstly used to enhance the intensity of an optical dipole trap. Thus, by realizing an evaporativecooling on the atomic sample, we reached Bose-Einstein condensation. Furthermore, the nondegeneratecavity allows the injection of different transverse electromagnetic modes. In thisway, we have demonstrated the generation and the manipulation of arrays of atomic ensemblesusing these modes. Successive measurements of these atomic ensembles in an atominterferometric sequence would increase the interrogation time and thus the sensitivity of thesensor.Secondly, the use of weak nondestructive measurements on the atoms allows to extractinformation from the system with negligible perturbation of the ensemble. Applying feedbackafter the measurement, we were able to control the quantum state of the system. Using amodified Ramsey sequence with weak nondestructive measurements and phase corrections, werealized a phase lock loop between a local oscillator and the atomic state. We have thendemonstrated that this protocol leads to a stability enhancement of an atomic clock byovercoming the limit set by the local oscillator.We also contributed to the development of the commercial laser platform EYLSA fromQuantel, testing its performances on two laser cooling experiments.

Cette thèse porte sur l'étude des gaz tridimensionnels de bosons de spin 1 avec interaction ferromagnétique. Nous montrons que la transition superfluide à température finie peut être étudiée par une théorie des champs classique de symétrie O(3)*O(2). Ce type de modèle est utilisé pour décrire le magnétisme frustré dans de nombreux matériaux, en particulier les antiferroaimants sur réseau triangulaire. La nature de la transition de phase dans le modèle O(3)*O(2) (premier ou second ordre) fait l'objet d'une controverse d'ordre à la fois expérimental, numérique et théorique. Notre approche théorique est basée sur le groupe de renormalisation non-perturbatif et prédit une transition faiblement du premier ordre avec un comportement "pseudo-critique". Nous relions ce dernier au comportement critique observé dans le modèle O(N)*O(2) lorsque N est supérieur ou égal à 5.3. Dans les gaz de bosons de spin 1 (87Rb, 41K et 7Li), la longueur de corrélation à la transition est grande devant la taille typique des gaz dans les expériences actuelles. Néanmoins les comportements en loi de puissance observés près de la transition permettent de définir des exposants "pseudo-critiques" non-universels. La valeur de ces exposants varie d'un gaz à l'autre. Nous discutons dans quelle mesure la détermination expérimentale de ces exposants permettrait d'apporter des éléments concrets en faveur d'une transition du premier ordre dans le modèle O(3)*O(2). / We study tridimensional spin-1 Bose gases with ferromagnetic interaction. The superfluid transition at finite temperature can be studied by a classical field theory with O(3)*O(2) symmetry. This kind of model has been used to describe frustrated magnetism in several materials, in particular antiferromagnets on a triangular lattice. The nature of the phase transition in the O(3)*O(2) model (first or second-order) has been the subject of experimental, numerical and theoretical controversy. Our theoretical approach is based on the nonperturbative renormalization group and predicts a weakly first-order transition with "pseudo-critical'' behavior. We relate the latter to the critical behavior observed in the O(N)*O(2) model when N is greater than or equal to 5.3. In spin-1 Bose gases (87Rb, 41K and 7Li), the correlation length at the transition is larger than the typical size of the system in current experiments. However the power-law behavior observed near the transition allows one to define nonuniversal "pseudo-critical" exponents. The value of these exponents varies from one gas to the other. We discuss to what extent the experimental determination of these exponents could support the claim of a first order transition in the O(3)*O(2) model.