TERAHERTZ-BASED DETECTORS USING COLD-ATOM OPTICS

In this paper we explore the design of microwave-based structures that can enhance the interaction of electromagnetic fields with cold-atom ensembles, leading to novel sensing modalities based on the quantum-mechanical behavior of these systems. In particular, we discuss electromagnetically-induced transparency in a single uncondensed cold-atom cloud, and a two-cloud version of a SQUID, where the clouds are BEC's and take the place of the weakly coupled superconductors. These systems are both promising candidates for use in the high-precision detection of chemical contaminants.