ABSTRACT
Ultracold atoms provide a promising platform to study novel quantum phenomena in many-body systems and achieve quantum engineering applications. With increasing attention to atomic systems, versatile optical traps have been an important tool for controlling atoms and manipulating their quantum states. Here, we illustrate the recent development of versatile optical traps for neutral atoms.
In the first part of the thesis, we discuss the fundamentals of ultracold atom experiments. We began with the properties of cold ytterbium atoms, especially 173Yb. Subsequently, the details of the experiment’s progress and experimental toolbox are provided. The second part of the thesis illustrates the recent development of optical traps by use of spatial light modulators and acousto-optic deflectors. We outline several immediate opportunities, such as the generation of uniform and linear optical potentials for cold atoms.