Manipulating atoms and photons is one of the key issues of modern quantum optics. Various ideas have been proposed so far in this context. Examples would include laser cooling and trapping, electromagnetically induced transparency, and cavity-QED. We propose a novel method to manipulate atoms and photons using subwavelength- diameter silica-fibers, “optical nanofibers”. We show theoretically and experimentally how optical nanofibers can open new perspectives for manipulating atoms and photons, such as modification of spontaneous emission, super-radiance, etc. We explore the nanofiber/ atom interaction using laser-cooled Cs-atoms. We demonstrate that photons from small number of atoms, average number of which is less than one, can readily be observed through nanofiber with good S/N ratio. We show also that the optical nanofiber can work as a very effective tool for exploring van der Waals interactions between atoms and fiber surface, and furthermore that the atom/surface interaction may open a new method to trap single atoms on the nanofiber surface without any external field.

Kohzo Hakuta received the B.S., M.S., and PhD degrees in applied physics from the University of Tokyo, in 1969, 1971, and 1974, respectively. In 1983, he joined the University of Electro- Communications, Tokyo, as an associate professor of applied physics, becoming a professor 1991. From 1988 to 1989, he was in the University of Toronto, Department of Physics, as a visiting scientist. His research interests are on basic processes of light and matter interaction, especially, quantum optics, nonlinear optics, and laser spectroscopy. He is the first who experimentally extended the concept of electromagnetically induced transparency to nonlinear optics using atomic hydrogen, in collaboration with Prof. Boris Stoicheff. From 1997 to 2002, he served as the project leader of CREST project “Quantum Solid and Nonlinear Optics: New Perspectives in Optical Physics” conducted by Japan Government. He currently serves as the program leader of 21st century center of excellence project “Innovation in Coherent Optical Science” by Japan Government.