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arXiv:2301.13407 · Review of Scientific Instruments

A compact and highly collimated atomic/molecular beam source

Geetika Bhardwaj, Saurabh Kumar Singh, Pranav R. Shirhatti

Published Apr 1, 2023• 1 citation
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We describe the design, characterization, and application of a simple, highly collimated, and compact atomic/molecular beam source. This source is based on a segmented capillary design, constructed using a syringe needle. Angular width measurements and free molecular flow simulations show that the segmented structure effectively suppresses atoms traveling in off-axis directions, resulting in a narrow beam of Helium atoms having a width of 7 mrad (full width half maximum). We demonstrate an application of this source by using it for monitoring real-time changes in surface coverage on a clean Cu(110) surface exposed to oxygen by measuring the specular reflectivity of the Helium beam generated using this source.

DOI
10.1063/5.0145956

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We describe the design, characterization, and application of a simple, highly collimated, and compact atomic/molecular beam source. This source is based on a segmented capillary design, constructed using a syringe needle. Angular width measurements and free molecular flow simulations show that the segmented structure effectively suppresses atoms traveling in off-axis directions, resulting in a narrow beam of Helium atoms having a width of 7 mrad (full width half maximum). We demonstrate an application of this source by using it for monitoring real-time changes in surface coverage on a clean Cu(110) surface exposed to oxygen by measuring the specular reflectivity of the Helium beam generated using this source.
Intense, highly collimated sources of atoms have many potential applications. Bright beams will be important for competitive high flux and high resolution direct-write techniques in lithography, with the added advantage of parallel writing through laser manipulation. Intense sources will also be useful in other atom optic devices e.g. for loading atoms into hollow fiber waveguides. In atomic physics, many collision processes can only be measured with the sensitivity offered by such high flux sources. We report progress on the development of an intense, collimated beam of metastable helium atoms which improves the brightness generated by conventional nozzle discharge sources by several orders of magnitude. The system uses diode lasers to transversely collimate and then to longitudinally slow the atoms, using Zeeman tuning to compensate for the changing Doppler shift. The slowed, collimated beam is then compressed in a 2D magneto-optic trap before a final collimation stage, to achieve the required increase in intensity. Initial experiments using the helium source for some of the applications above are described.
Intense, highly collimated sources of atoms have many potential applications. Bright beams will be important for competitive high flux and high resolution direct-write techniques in lithography, with the added advantage of parallel writing through laser manipulation. Intense sources will also be useful in other atom optic devices e.g. for loading atoms into hollow fiber waveguides. In atomic physics, many collision processes can only be measured with the sensitivity offered by such high flux sources. We report progress on the development of an intense, collimated beam of metastable helium atoms which improves the brightness generated by conventional nozzle discharge sources by several orders of magnitude. The system uses diode lasers to transversely collimate and then to longitudinally slow the atoms, using Zeeman tuning to compensate for the changing Doppler shift. The slowed, collimated beam is then compressed in a 2D magneto-optic trap before a final collimation stage, to achieve the required increase in intensity. Initial experiments using the helium source for some of the applications above are described.
A high-flux and collimated atomic beam source has important application in the fields of high precision rotation measurement and atomic clocks. Starting from the principle of atomic interference measurement, the need of atom interference gyroscope for performance parameters of a rubidium beam source is briefly introduced in this paper. An atomic beam generation method that uses micro-channel stainless arrays with a length-diameter ratio of 100:1 is proposed, which is used to support the parameter design and verification system construction. A preliminary parameter characterization is performed, with a peak atomic flux of2.1×1012atoms/s2.1\times 10^{12}\text{atoms}/\mathrm{s}2.1×1012atoms/sand a full divergence angle of 16 mrad. The test results agree well with theoretical calculation, and the slight difference results from atom-wall collision. Aπ/2−π/2\pi/2-\pi/2π/2−π/2Ramsey interferometer with an interval of 200 mm is also constructed and characterized with two phase-coherent Raman beams, which proves good coherence of the atom beam, and thus pave the way to high-sensitivity atom interferometry measurements.
We present a new design for a directed high-flux, high-temperature atomic vapor source for use in atomic physics experiments conducted under vacuum. An externally heated nozzle made of an array of stainless steel microcapillaries produces a collimated atomic beam. Welded stainless steel construction allows for operation at high source temperatures without exposing delicate ConFlat vacuum flanges to thermal stress, greatly enhancing robustness compared to previously published designs. We report in operando performance measurements of an atomic beam of lithium at various operating temperatures.
Alkali metal dispensers have become an indispensable tool in the production of atomic vapors for magnetometry, alkali vapor cell clocks, and laser cooling experiments. A primary advantage of these dispensers is that they contain alkali metal in an inert form that can be exposed to air without hazard. However, their high temperature of operation (>600 °C) is undesirable for many applications, as it shifts the atomic speed distribution to higher values and presents a radiative heat source that can raise the temperature of its surroundings. For this reason, dispensers are typically not used in line-of-sight applications, such as atomic beam generation. In this work, we present an integrated rubidium dispenser collimating device with a thickness of only 2 mm that produces a beam of atoms traveling primarily in the forward direction. We find that the collimator plate serves to both shield the dispenser's radiation and moderate the velocity of the atomic beam so that the measured longitudinal speed distribution is comparable to that of an ordinary alkali oven at only a slightly elevated temperature of 200 °C. To confirm our theory, we also constructed another compact apparatus consisting of a dispenser and a silicon collimator and the measurements support our conclusion. Our integrated dispenser collimator will particularly be useful in integrated photonics and cavity QED on-chip, where a localized, directed source of Rb vapor in small quantities is needed.