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Review of Scientific Instruments

Absolute metastable atom-atom collision cross section measurements using a magneto-optical trap

Kristen Matherson, R. D. Glover, D. E. Laban, Robert T. Sang

Published Jul 1, 2007• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present a new technique to measure absolute total collision cross sections from metastable neon atoms. The technique is based on the observation of the decay rate of trapped atoms as they collide with room temperature atoms. We present the first measurement of this kind using trapped neon atoms in the (3)P(2) metastable state colliding with thermal ground state argon. The measured cross section has a value of 556+/-26 A(2).

DOI
10.1063/1.2754444

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We present a new technique to measure absolute total collision cross sections from metastable neon atoms. The technique is based on the observation of the decay rate of trapped atoms as they collide with room temperature atoms. We present the first measurement of this kind using trapped neon atoms in the (3)P(2) metastable state colliding with thermal ground state argon. The measured cross section has a value of 556+/-26 A(2).
We present total absolute collision cross sections for neon in the 3P2^{3}P_{2}3P2​ metastable state with ground state, thermal atoms and molecules using a recently developed experimental technique. The technique utilizes a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and involves the measurement of MOT population dynamics to determine the cross section. Collision cross section measurements are presented for metastable neon in the 3P2^{3}P_{2}3P2​ state with He, Ne, Ar, H2{\mathrm{H}}_{2}H2​, O2{\mathrm{O}}_{2}O2​, and N2{\mathrm{N}}_{2}N2​. The average thermal energy of the collision ranges from 11to27meV11\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\text{to}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}27\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{meV}11to27meV. The measurements made using this technique have small errors, of the order of 10% of the measured cross section; the technique is capable of producing benchmark collision cross sections.
We present progress towards measurements of total absolute collision cross sections of the 3P2 metastable state and the 3D3 excited state of neon with ground state noble gases utilizing a metastable neon magneto optical trap. The measurement is achieved by observing the decay rate of the trap as a function of added partial pressure of a noble gas. This technique will enable benchmark cross sections to be measured there by providing stringent tests of current quantum mechanical scattering calculations.
This thesis presents investigations into the collision dynamics of cold metastable neon atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). At very cold temperatures (approx. 1 mK) the atomic interaction occurs at long range and cannot be treated classically as the interaction between two nuclear point particles. In addition, the collision dynamics can be considerably altered in the presence of an optical eld. In this thesis results are presented for collisions that are altered by the presence of an optical eld and also collisions where the optical eld can be neglected. Controlled optical collisions of cold, metastable Ne atoms are performed by using a control laser tuned close to the (3s)3P2 to (3p)3D3 cooling transition. The control laser modies the rate of ionizing collisions by promoting a pair of colliding atoms onto an excited state potential. In order to induce collisions between pairs of trapped metastables, a control laser is tuned to the red of the transition where we measure a factor of 4 increase in the rate for ionizing collisions. We also investigate the eect of optical shielding by tuning the laser to the blue of the transition and observe a factor of 5 suppression in the ionization rate. However, the measured ionization spectrum does not contain resonances due to the formation of photoassociated molecules as predicted by Doery et al [1]. Instead, we observe a broad unresolvable ionization spectrum that is well described by established theory [2]. Collision cross sections are measured for neon in the (3s)3P2 metastable state with ground state, thermal atoms and molecules. The technique is based on the measurement of the loss rate due to collisions with a background gas. Generally, these type of collisions are considered undesirable, however, it is possible to infer information about the collision cross section if the rate of collisions is accurately known. This novel technique is described and collision cross section measurements are presented for metastable neon in the (3s)3P2 state with He, Ne, Ar, H2, O2, and N2. The average thermal energy of the collision ranges from 11 meV to 27 meV and the measurements have relatively small errors, of the order of 10%.
The implementation of a technique to measure total collision cross sections using laser-cooled rubidium atoms along with the introduction of room-temperature background gases, confined in both magnetooptic and magnetic traps, is proposed. Atom loss from the trap and total collision cross section can be inferred from the knowledge of the density of background gases. The measured cross sections from the magneto-optic and magnetic traps are represented, compared, and found to be significantly different. The measurements using this technique have a very small error in the range of approximately 2%-7%.