title: Intensity-field correlation of single-atom resonance fluorescence.
abstract: We report measurements of an intensity-field correlation function of the resonance fluorescence of a single trapped 138Ba+ ion. Detection of a photon prepares the atom in its ground state, and we observe its subsequent evolution under interaction with a laser field of well-defined phase. We record the regression of the resonance fluorescence source field. This provides a direct measurement of the field of the radiating dipole of a single atom and exhibits its strong nonclassical behavior. In the setup, an interference measurement is conditioned on the detection of a fluorescence photon.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rotter
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Slodicka
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eschner
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Carmichael
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Blatt