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Cavity QED provides an ideal setting for many applications ranging from single-atom physics to quantum information science. The strong atom-photon coupling achievable in cavity QED systems allows one to observe and control individual atoms in real time with unprecedented precision, or build novel interfaces between classical and quantum fields of light. The first demonstration of a quantum interface between a stationary atom and a flying photon will be an important step towards a distributed quantum network of individually addressable quantum systems.
Realization of such interfaces requires reliable trapping and precise localization of a well-defined number of atoms, typically one, between nearby mirrors, making the experiments a challenge. Nevertheless, the progress made during the last few years in several labs worldwide is impressive. The talk will highlight some of the most recent achievements including the efficient generation of single photons on demand, the first observation of time-resolved interference of independent single photons, the localization of a single atom at a cavity antinode by means of cavity cooling, and the deterministic transport of single atoms in and out of the strong-coupling region of a high-finesse optical cavity. |