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arXiv:1204.2891 · Physical Review A

Reconfigurable self-sufficient traps for ultracold atoms based on a superconducting square

M. Siercke, K. S. Chan, B. Zhang, Mussie Beian, M. J. Lim, Rainer Dumke

Published Apr 23, 2012• 27 citations
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Abstract

We report on the trapping of ultracold atoms in the magnetic field formed entirely by persistent supercurrents induced in a thin film type-II superconducting square. The supercurrents are carried by vortices induced in the two-dimensional (2D) structure by applying two magnetic field pulses of varying amplitude perpendicular to its surface. This results in a self-sufficient quadrupole trap that does not require any externally applied fields. We investigate the trapping parameters for different supercurrent distributions. Furthermore, to demonstrate possible applications of these types of supercurrent traps we show how a central quadrupole trap can be split into four traps by use of a bias field, as predicted by Zhang et al. [Phys. Rev. A 85, 013404 (2012)].

DOI
10.1103/physreva.85.041403

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We report on the trapping of ultracold atoms in the magnetic field formed entirely by persistent supercurrents induced in a thin film type-II superconducting square. The supercurrents are carried by vortices induced in the two-dimensional (2D) structure by applying two magnetic field pulses of varying amplitude perpendicular to its surface. This results in a self-sufficient quadrupole trap that does not require any externally applied fields. We investigate the trapping parameters for different supercurrent distributions. Furthermore, to demonstrate possible applications of these types of supercurrent traps we show how a central quadrupole trap can be split into four traps by use of a bias field, as predicted by Zhang et al. [Phys. Rev. A 85, 013404 (2012)].
We design magnetic traps for atoms based on the average magnetic field of vortices induced in a type-II superconducting thin film. This magnetic field is the critical ingredient of the demonstrated vortex-based atom traps, which operate without transport current. We use Bean's critical-state method to model the vortex field through mesoscopic supercurrents induced in the thin strip. The resulting inhomogeneous magnetic fields are studied in detail and compared to those generated by multiple normally conducting wires with transport currents. Various vortex patterns can be obtained by programing different loading-field and transport-current sequences. These variable magnetic fields are employed to make versatile trapping potentials.
We investigate superconducting chip structures for trapping and manipulating atoms. These structures are based on the average magnetic field of vortices induced in a type-II superconducting thin film. This magnetic field is the critical ingredient of the demonstrated vortex-based atom trap, which operate without transport current. We employ the hysteretic behavior of a superconducting thin film in the remanent state to generate different traps and flexible magnetic potentials for ultra-cold atoms. The experimental realization can be described by the Bean's critical-state method to model the vortex field through mesoscopic super currents induced in the thin strip. Various vortex patterns can be obtained by programming different loading-field and transport current sequences. Furthermore we will discuss the expected enhanced lifetime of atoms trapped close to a superconducting surface in comparison with a metallic surface.
We employ the hysteretic behavior of a superconducting thin film in the remanent state to generate different traps and flexible magnetic potentials for ultracold atoms. The trap geometry can be programed by externally applied fields. This approach for atom optics is demonstrated by three different trap types realized on a single microstructure: a Z-type trap, a double trap, and a bias-field-free trap. Our studies show that superconductors in the remanent state provide a versatile platform for atom optics and applications in ultracold quantum gases.
Abstract A lattice of traps for ultracold neutral atoms is a promising tool for experimental investigation in quantum physics and quantum information processing. We consider regular arrays of thin film type-II superconducting nanodisks, with only one pinned vortex in each of them, and also arrays of mesoscopic disks, each containing many vortices whose distribution is characterized by the superconducting current density. In both cases we show theoretically that the induced magnetic field can create a 3D lattice of magnetic traps for cold atoms without any additional bias field. Applying a bias DC field parallel to the superconductor surface, one can control the depth and sizes of the traps, their heights above the chip surface, potential barriers between the traps, as well as the structure and dimension of the lattices. In the adiabatic approximation the atom cloud shape is represented by the shape of a closed iso-surface of the magnetic field magnitude chosen in accordance with the atom cloud temperature. The computed trap sizes, heights and the distances between the neighboring traps are typically from tens to hundreds nanometers for nanodisks and of the order of 1 μ m for mesoscopic disks. Our calculations show that the depth of magnetic traps on mesoscopic disks is, typically, between 0.3 G and 7.6 G; for the nanodisks the depth is about 0.3 G.
We propose and analyze neutral atom traps generated by vortices imprinted by magnetic field pulse sequences in type II superconducting disks and rings. We compute the supercurrent distribution and magnetic field resulting from the vortices in the superconductor. Different patterns of vortices can be written by versatile loading field sequences. We discuss in detail procedures to generate quadrupole traps, self-sufficient traps, and ring traps based on superconducting disks and rings. The ease of creating these traps and the low current noise in supercurrent-carrying structures make our approach attractive for designing atom chip interferometers and probes.
We investigate superconducting chip structures for trapping and manipulating atoms. These structures are based on the average magnetic field of vortices induced in a type-II superconducting thin film. This magnetic field is the critical ingredient of the demonstrated vortex-based atom trap, which operate without transport current. We employ the hysteretic behavior of a superconducting thin film in the remanent state to generate different traps and flexible magnetic potentials for ultra-cold atoms. The experimental realization can be described by the Bean’s critical-state method to model the vortex field through mesoscopic super currents induced in the thin strip. Various vortex patterns can be obtained by programming different loading-field and transport current sequences. Furthermore we will discuss the expected enhanced lifetime of atoms trapped close to a superconducting surface in comparison with a metallic surface.