\n \nWe report on a measurement of the van der Waals interaction between rubidium\natoms in the ground state and a metallic surface, employing a new method\ninvolving reflection of laser-cooled atoms from magnetic thin-film atom\nmirrors. We made use of the fact that the typical distance from which atoms\nreflect from thin-film magnetic mirrors is of the order of the magnetic \ndomain size and the thickness of the thin film. The modification of the \nreflectivity of cold atoms from cobalt thin-film magnetic mirrors, with \nthickness in the range of $200\\mbox{--}20\\un{nm}$ , due to the competition between the \nattractive atom-surface interaction and the repulsive magnetic interaction \nenabled the measurement of the van der Waals force in the range 20– $50\\un{nm}$ \nwith an uncertainty of 15%. The measured value agrees well with recent\ntheoretical estimates.\n\n\n \nWe report on a measurement of the van der Waals interaction between rubidium\natoms in the ground state and a metallic surface, employing a new method\ninvolving reflection of laser-cooled atoms from magnetic thin-film atom\nmirrors. We made use of the fact that the typical distance from which atoms\nreflect from thin-film magnetic mirrors is of the order of the magnetic \ndomain size and the thickness of the thin film. The modification of the \nreflectivity of cold atoms from cobalt thin-film magnetic mirrors, with \nthickness in the range of $200\\mbox{--}20\\un{nm}$, due to the competition between the \nattractive atom-surface interaction and the repulsive magnetic interaction \nenabled the measurement of the van der Waals force in the range 20–$50\\un{nm}$ \nwith an uncertainty of 15%. The measured value agrees well with recent\ntheoretical estimates.\n\n

Europhysics Letters (EPL)Feb 7, 200631 citations

3D modeling of magnetic atom traps on type-II superconductor chips

Vladimir Sokolovsky, Leonid Prigozhin, John W. Barrett

Magnetic traps for cold atoms have become a powerful tool in cold atom physics and condensed matter research. The traps on superconducting chips allow one to increase the trapped atom lifetime and coherence time by decreasing the thermal noise by several orders of magnitude compared to that of the typical normal-metal conductors. A thin superconducting film in the mixed state is, usually, the main element of such a chip. Using a finite element method to analyze thin film magnetization and transport current in type-II superconductivity, we study magnetic traps recently employed in experiments. The proposed approach allows us to predict important characteristics of the magnetic traps (their depth, shape, distance from the chip surface, etc) that are necessary when designing magnetic traps in cold atom experiments.Magnetic traps for cold atoms have become a powerful tool in cold atom physics and condensed matter research. The traps on superconducting chips allow one to increase the trapped atom lifetime and coherence time by decreasing the thermal noise by several orders of magnitude compared to that of the typical normal-metal conductors. A thin superconducting film in the mixed state is, usually, the main element of such a chip. Using a finite element method to analyze thin film magnetization and transport current in type-II superconductivity, we study magnetic traps recently employed in experiments. The proposed approach allows us to predict important characteristics of the magnetic traps (their depth, shape, distance from the chip surface, etc) that are necessary when designing magnetic traps in cold atom experiments.

arXiv:1405.6495Superconductor Science and TechnologyNov 12, 20147 citations

Atomic reflection from a magnetic mirror: Beyond the adiabatic approximation

Uffe V. Poulsen, Klaus Mølmer

The European Physical Journal DJul 1, 20001 citation

Studying magnetism with cold atoms

J. Stajic

ScienceSep 18, 20140 citations

200\\mbox{--}20\\un{nm}

, due to the competition between the \nattractive atom-surface interaction and the repulsive magnetic interaction \nenabled the measurement of the van der Waals force in the range 20–

50\\un{nm}

\nwith an uncertainty of 15%. The measured value agrees well with recent\ntheoretical estimates.\n\n