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Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Report

Traps for neutral atoms

David E. Pritchard

Published Aug 31, 1989• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Abstract : We have trapped large numbers of neutral atoms, and cooled them to millikelvin temperatures. Our next objective is to cool them to microkelvin temperatures. Dense samples of atoms cooled to microkelvin temperatures promise to open up new and exciting areas of physics. The lack of interaction of the low velocity atoms due to their reduced thermal motion, together with the possibility of indefinitely long interaction times, make samples of trapped atoms ideal for high resolution spectroscopy and for use as atomic frequency standards. Our main current effort in neutral atom trapping is cooling of trapped atoms to low temperatures. While this remains a difficult and elusive goal (to date, micro-kelvin temperatures have only been achieved with untrapped atoms), the rewards for supercooling trapped atoms appear to be high. The long confinement times, together with the reduced thermal motion of cold atoms, could result in a new era of ultra-high resolution spectroscopy and precise frequency standards. Potentially more exciting is the possibility of combining the high densities achievable in traps and the long deBroglie wavelength of ultra-cold atoms to observe novel quantum collective phenomena.

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Magnetic trapping of neutral atoms

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Abstract : The program is to slow, trap and cool neutral atoms. Laser light is used to slow and cool atoms and magnetic forces are used to trap them. Ultimately we hope to be able to trap atoms for days and cool them to temperatures on the order of .000001 K in addition to the interesting scientific and technical challenges involved in trapping and cooling atoms, we hope to open several new lines of investigation with these cooled atoms. Cold trapped atoms constitute a good system for studying collective phenomena such as Bose condensation, low energy - Na and Na - Na, and coherent optical effects (the deBrogile wavelength can exceed the optical wavelength). They also offer opportunities for performing ultra-high resolution spectroscopy and are extremely promising candidates for a new generation of frequency standards.

Massachusetts Inst. of Tech. Report•Jan 1, 1987•0 citations

Laser cooling of atoms

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Abstract One of the most remarkable achievements of laser control is the manipulation of atomic particles, their velocities, positions, etc., which is referred to as laser cooling and laser trapping . These two effects are interrelated and usually prove effective when used jointly. That this is so one can see by considering as an example the laser cooling of trapped ions and the laser trapping of laser-cooled neutral atoms (Fig. 5.1). The sequences of processes in these two situations are directly opposite. Ions can easily be trapped in an electromagnetic trap of large depth (Paul 1990) and then be cooled for a long time by laser radiation (sideband cooling) (Wineland and Dehmelt 1975; Dehmelt 1990). Neutral atoms are first slowed down and cooled by laser radiation down to millikelvin temperatures, and only then confined in an optical trap. Trapped atoms can further be cooled to microkelvin temperatures. The present chapter and Chapter 6 consider the cooling and trapping of neutral atoms, the present chapter concentrating on their cooling, and Chapter 6 on trapping. But it would be reasonable first to familiarize the reader with the history of the early ideas in this field that eventually led to the advent of a new domain of physics—the physics of ultracold atoms and molecules (Chapters 7 and 8).

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Laser Cooling and Trapping

Laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms is a rapidly expanding area of physics research that has seen dramatic new developments over the last decade. These include the ability to cool atoms down to unprecedented kinetic temperatures (as low as one micro Kelvin) and to bold samples of a gas isolated in the middle of a vacuum system for many seconds. This unique new level of control of atomic motion is

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A neutral atom and a thin wire: on the road to mesoscopic atom optics

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Summary form only given.Cooling and trapping techniques developed in recent years allow for the preparation of cold and dense samples of neutral atoms with a typical deBroglie wavelength of the order of 100 nm or larger, which is in the range of modern nanofabrication technology. In our work we study the motion of cold neutral atoms in potentials that are produced by thin material filaments . In particular, we will discuss the interactions suitable for guiding and trapping neutral atoms/molecules.

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Cooling and Trapping Neutral Atoms (1985)

S. Brandt

Abstract Atomic beams, pioneered by Stern (Episodes 30 and 52), opened the way to study non-interacting atoms which, essentially, have only one component in velocity, namely, that in beam direction. Ions could even be confined in a trap(Episode 80) with small values of all three velocity components. We shall see now how that was achieved also for neutral atoms. A measure of quality for a gas of trapped atoms is its temperature, i.e., the average kinetic energy of the atoms expressed in Kelvin. By carefully exploiting the inner structure of atoms it became possible, with the help of laser light and magnetic fields, to cool and trap small samples of highly dilute atomic gases, reaching temperatures as low as 180 nK (180 × 10‒9 K).

•Apr 22, 1992•1 citation

Cold Atom Physics: Trapping Methods And Detection Schemes.

Thejesh Bandi

"The work presented in this thesis is concerned with the manipulation of laser- cooled rubidium atoms and the detection of small numbers of cold atoms using very sensitive light detectors. Laser-cooled atoms are atoms that have been slowed to very low velocities, corresponding to temperatures of the order of 100 //K, and they can be trapped in magnetic and/or optical traps. The advantage of using cold atoms for experiments in atomic and quantum physics stems from the fact that these atoms are effectively confined within a region of space and this provides longer interaction and observation times compared to atoms at room temperature. Hence, it is possible to explore and observe a number of effects that would otherwise be extremely challenging. The achievement of laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms was a major breakthrough in the mid 80’s and has resulted in significant advances being made in modern spectroscopy, the realisation of Bose-Einstein condensation, atomic clocks, and quantum information technologies amongst others. In particular, the work focuses on two theoretical proposals for developing microtraps for cold rubidium atoms involving (i) ultrathin optical fibres and (ii) wavelength sized apertures in thin films. In addition, a number of experimental techniques are explored with emphasis on the detection of small numbers of atoms near ultrathin optical fibres using both avalanche photodiodes and single photon detectors. A study on the interactions between atoms and photons is crucial for a full understanding of quantum mechanical processes at the few atom scale and detection schemes sensitive to very low levels of fluorescence from the laser-cooled atoms are vital for attaining this goal. Finally, an experimental study on the design and fabrication of arrays of silica microdisks, that could be used for facilitating interactions between cold atoms and photons, is presented."

Sword•Jan 1, 2008•0 citations
Abstract : We have trapped large numbers of neutral atoms, and cooled them to millikelvin temperatures. Our next objective is to cool them to microkelvin temperatures. Dense samples of atoms cooled to microkelvin temperatures promise to open up new and exciting areas of physics. The lack of interaction of the low velocity atoms due to their reduced thermal motion, together with the possibility of indefinitely long interaction times, make samples of trapped atoms ideal for high resolution spectroscopy and for use as atomic frequency standards. Our main current effort in neutral atom trapping is cooling of trapped atoms to low temperatures. While this remains a difficult and elusive goal (to date, micro-kelvin temperatures have only been achieved with untrapped atoms), the rewards for supercooling trapped atoms appear to be high. The long confinement times, together with the reduced thermal motion of cold atoms, could result in a new era of ultra-high resolution spectroscopy and precise frequency standards. Potentially more exciting is the possibility of combining the high densities achievable in traps and the long deBroglie wavelength of ultra-cold atoms to observe novel quantum collective phenomena.
Abstract : The program is to slow, trap and cool neutral atoms. Laser light is used to slow and cool atoms and magnetic forces are used to trap them. Ultimately we hope to be able to trap atoms for days and cool them to temperatures on the order of .000001 K in addition to the interesting scientific and technical challenges involved in trapping and cooling atoms, we hope to open several new lines of investigation with these cooled atoms. Cold trapped atoms constitute a good system for studying collective phenomena such as Bose condensation, low energy - Na and Na - Na, and coherent optical effects (the deBrogile wavelength can exceed the optical wavelength). They also offer opportunities for performing ultra-high resolution spectroscopy and are extremely promising candidates for a new generation of frequency standards.
Abstract One of the most remarkable achievements of laser control is the manipulation of atomic particles, their velocities, positions, etc., which is referred to as laser cooling and laser trapping . These two effects are interrelated and usually prove effective when used jointly. That this is so one can see by considering as an example the laser cooling of trapped ions and the laser trapping of laser-cooled neutral atoms (Fig. 5.1). The sequences of processes in these two situations are directly opposite. Ions can easily be trapped in an electromagnetic trap of large depth (Paul 1990) and then be cooled for a long time by laser radiation (sideband cooling) (Wineland and Dehmelt 1975; Dehmelt 1990). Neutral atoms are first slowed down and cooled by laser radiation down to millikelvin temperatures, and only then confined in an optical trap. Trapped atoms can further be cooled to microkelvin temperatures. The present chapter and Chapter 6 consider the cooling and trapping of neutral atoms, the present chapter concentrating on their cooling, and Chapter 6 on trapping. But it would be reasonable first to familiarize the reader with the history of the early ideas in this field that eventually led to the advent of a new domain of physics—the physics of ultracold atoms and molecules (Chapters 7 and 8).
Summary form only given.Cooling and trapping techniques developed in recent years allow for the preparation of cold and dense samples of neutral atoms with a typical deBroglie wavelength of the order of 100 nm or larger, which is in the range of modern nanofabrication technology. In our work we study the motion of cold neutral atoms in potentials that are produced by thin material filaments . In particular, we will discuss the interactions suitable for guiding and trapping neutral atoms/molecules.
Abstract Atomic beams, pioneered by Stern (Episodes 30 and 52), opened the way to study non-interacting atoms which, essentially, have only one component in velocity, namely, that in beam direction. Ions could even be confined in a trap(Episode 80) with small values of all three velocity components. We shall see now how that was achieved also for neutral atoms. A measure of quality for a gas of trapped atoms is its temperature, i.e., the average kinetic energy of the atoms expressed in Kelvin. By carefully exploiting the inner structure of atoms it became possible, with the help of laser light and magnetic fields, to cool and trap small samples of highly dilute atomic gases, reaching temperatures as low as 180 nK (180 × 10‒9 K).
"The work presented in this thesis is concerned with the manipulation of laser- cooled rubidium atoms and the detection of small numbers of cold atoms using very sensitive light detectors. Laser-cooled atoms are atoms that have been slowed to very low velocities, corresponding to temperatures of the order of 100 //K, and they can be trapped in magnetic and/or optical traps. The advantage of using cold atoms for experiments in atomic and quantum physics stems from the fact that these atoms are effectively confined within a region of space and this provides longer interaction and observation times compared to atoms at room temperature. Hence, it is possible to explore and observe a number of effects that would otherwise be extremely challenging. The achievement of laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms was a major breakthrough in the mid 80’s and has resulted in significant advances being made in modern spectroscopy, the realisation of Bose-Einstein condensation, atomic clocks, and quantum information technologies amongst others. In particular, the work focuses on two theoretical proposals for developing microtraps for cold rubidium atoms involving (i) ultrathin optical fibres and (ii) wavelength sized apertures in thin films. In addition, a number of experimental techniques are explored with emphasis on the detection of small numbers of atoms near ultrathin optical fibres using both avalanche photodiodes and single photon detectors. A study on the interactions between atoms and photons is crucial for a full understanding of quantum mechanical processes at the few atom scale and detection schemes sensitive to very low levels of fluorescence from the laser-cooled atoms are vital for attaining this goal. Finally, an experimental study on the design and fabrication of arrays of silica microdisks, that could be used for facilitating interactions between cold atoms and photons, is presented."