Motivated to develop quantum technologies and to study ever-more complex quantum systems,scientists are developing increasingly sophisticated experimental tools to control and
measure quantum samples such as ensembles of ultracold atoms. A high-finesse optical
cavity can be used to measure the state of atoms within its photonic mode with precision
limited only by quantum uncertainty. Such a cavity can also be used to mediate interactions
between different atoms within the cavity mode. High-resolution microscope objectives have
been interfaced with ultracold atom experiments to allow researchers to image single atoms
within optical lattices, to trap single atoms in microtweezer arrays, and to imprint arbitrary
optical patterns onto atomic ensembles. Among other applications, these technologies have
allowed researchers to investigate many-body quantum systems, engineer novel interactions,
and realize high-fidelity quantum operations.
This dissertation presents the details of the design, construction, and operation of a new, versatileatomic physics apparatus that combines these two experimental tools. The apparatus
includes a high-finesse optical cavity into which atoms are optically transported. In addition,
there is a high-numerical-aperture objective aligned to image, with micron-scale resolution,
atoms trapped within the center of the optical cavity. We present results demonstrating
the capability of this apparatus to deliver and study ultracold atomic samples, ranging from
single atoms to Bose-Einstein condensates. We demonstrate a dispersive shift of the cavity
resonance due to the presence of atoms in the cavity mode and the trapping and imaging of
single atoms in optical microtweezers. We also present an atomic scanning probe microscopy
technique with which a single atom in a microtweezer is used to map out the spatial amplitude
pattern of an optical cavity mode standing wave by monitoring the position-dependent
scattering properties of the atom.