An atom-focusing mirror

Rivka Bekenstein, Susanne F. Yelin

V. G. Luppov, William A. Kaufman, K. M. Hill +2 more

We formed the first ``atomic-optics'' beam of electron-spin-polarized hydrogen atoms using a quasiparabolic polished copper mirror coated with a hydrogen-atom-reflecting film of superfluid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$. The mirror was located in the gradient of an 8-T solenoidal magnetic field and mounted on an ultracold cell at 350 mK. After the focusing by the mirror surface, the beam was again focused with a sextupole magnet. The mirror, which was especially designed for operation in the magnetic field gradient of our solenoid, increased the focused beam intensity by a factor of about 7.5.

Charles S. Adams, M. Sigel, J. Mlynek

Arpan Roy, Andrew Bah Shen Jing, Murray D Barrett

We fabricate a miniature spherical mirror for tightly focusing an optical dipole trap for neutral atoms. The mirror formation process is modelled to predict the dimensions for particular fabrication parameters. We integrate the spherical mirror with a neutral atom experiment to trap and detect a single atom with high efficiency. The mirror serves the dual purpose of focusing the dipole trap as well as collecting the atomic fluorescence into an optical fibre.

Pierre Meystre

V. G. Luppov, William A. Kaufman, K. M. Hill +2 more

A 350 mK helium‐4‐coated mirror was used to increase the intensity of an ultra‐cold electron‐spin‐polarized atomic hydrogen beam. The mirror uses the observed specular reflection of atomic hydrogen from a superfluid‐helium‐covered surface. A quasi‐parabolic polished copper mirror was installed with its focus at the 5 mm diameter exit aperture of an atomic hydrogen stabilization cell in the gradient of an 8 T solenoid field. The four‐coned mirror shape, which was designed specifically for operation in the gradient, increased the beam intensity focused by a sextupole magnet into a compression tube detector by a factor of about 7.5.