Towards single atoms in an optical dipole trap using Rydberg blockade

We present experimental studies of preparation of single atom occupancy of optical dipole traps using Rydberg blockade of few atom samples. Starting with N atoms in the $F=2$ state of $^{87}$Rb we perform stimulated Raman transfers to $F=1$ via a highly excited Rydberg state. Single atom occupancy is obtained with better than 50\% probability. The results are compared with a numerical model accounting for the atomic interactions which predicts the possibility of $\sim 80\%$ single atom loading starting from samples with $N\sim 10$ atoms.