Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

The Journal of Chemical Physics

Note: Manipulation of supersonic atomic beams with static magnetic fields

Jamie Ryan Gardner, Rodrigo Castillo-Garza, Mark G. Raizen

Published Sep 6, 2013• 5 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The inhomogeneous magnetic field of a permanent-magnet planar Halbach array is used to either deflect or to specularly reflect a supersonic beam of neutral atoms. Metastable neon and helium beams are tested to experimentally evaluate the performance of this array in a range of configurations. Results are compared with numerical simulations and the device is presented as a high precision tool for the manipulation of neutral atom beams.

DOI
10.1063/1.4819897

Related papers

Manipulating hydrogen atoms using permanent magnets: Characterisation of a velocity-filtering guide

Jutta Toscano, Michal Hejduk, Henry G. McGhee +1 more

A Halbach array composed of 12 permanent magnets in a hexapole configuration is employed to deflect hydrogen atoms as they exit a Zeeman decelerator. The ability to preferentially manipulate H atoms is very useful, as there are currently very few techniques that are appropriate for purifying a beam of H atoms from precursor molecules (such as molecular hydrogen or ammonia), seed gases, and other contaminant species. The extent to which hydrogen atoms are deflected by a single Halbach array when it is tilted or shifted off the main beam axis is characterised experimentally and interpreted with the aid of a simple mathematical model. A radical beam filter is subsequently introduced, where four Halbach arrays arranged in series serve to deflect H atoms away from the main beam axis and around skimming blades; all other components of the incoming beam are blocked by the blades and are thus not transmitted through the magnetic guide. The properties of the guide, as established by experimental measurements and complemented by detailed simulations, confirm that it is a highly effective beam filter-successfully generating a pure and velocity-selected beam of H atoms.

Review of Scientific Instruments•Mar 1, 2019•5 citations

A hexapole magnetic guide for neutral atomic beams

Joshua P. Beardmore, A. J. Palmer, K. C. Kuiper +1 more

In this paper we present a multiple element magnetic device to guide atoms using a spatially inhomogeneous magnetic field formed by a series of permanent hexapole magnets. The operation of the device is demonstrated using an enhanced beam of neon atoms in the 3P2 metastable state. These atoms are guided around a bend of 30 degrees from their original path. A flux of 4.35 x 10(9) +/- 2 x 10(7) atoms s(-1) was measured after the device yielding a transmission efficiency of approximately 9% of the input flux. Simulations of the center of mass motion of the atoms through the magnetic guide have been performed giving reasonable agreement with the experimental results.

Review of Scientific Instruments•Jul 1, 2009•13 citations

Atomic Deflection Using an Adaptive Microelectromagnet Mirror

Kent S. Johnson, Marija Drndić, Joseph H. Thywissen +3 more

We have deflected a beam of metastable helium atoms using the inhomogeneous magnetic field above a microfabricated electromagnet mirror. The mirror consisted of a single current-carrying wire in a periodic serpentine pattern on a planar sapphire substrate. A time-dependent current (and magnetic field) synchronized with a pulsed thermal atomic beam was used to compensate for the chromaticity of the deflection. The freedom to fabricate a wide variety of geometries and to employ time-dependent fields make microelectromagnets promising new tools for atom manipulation.

Physical Review Letters•Aug 10, 1998•44 citations

An atomic coilgun: using pulsed magnetic fields to slow a supersonic beam

Edvardas Narevicius, Christian G. Parthey, A. Libson +4 more

We report the experimental demonstration of a novel method to slow atoms and molecules with permanent magnetic moments using pulsed magnetic fields. In our experiments, we observe the slowing of a supersonic beam of metastable neon from 461.0 ± 7.7 to 403 ± 16 m s−1 in 18 stages, where the slowed peak is clearly separated from the initial distribution. This method has broad applications as it may easily be generalized, using seeding and entrainment into supersonic beams, to all paramagnetic atoms and molecules.

New Journal of Physics•Oct 3, 2007•74 citations

Brightening of a supersonic beam of neutral atoms

Erik Anciaux, Georgios Stratis, Mark G. Raizen

Abstract Well-collimated, high-intensity beams of neutral atoms have many applications ranging from atom microscopy to atom interferometry to ultracold atomic physics. We experimentally demonstrate a method for brightening a supersonic atomic beam and observe an increase in the phase space density by a factor of at least 20. Our scheme relies upon a permanent magnetic hexapole lens to focus a divergent beam of neutral atoms emitted from a supersonic nozzle and transverse laser cooling as the beam converges downstream from the lens so as to create a dense, narrow, Doppler-collimated atomic beam. In principle, this method can be repeated multiple times in series for further beam brightening.

Physica Scripta•Oct 10, 2018•4 citations

Magnetic deflection analysis of supersonic metastable atom beams

C. Weiser, Peter E. Siska

Deflection of 3S1 and 3P2 metastable rare-gas atoms in an electron-impact-excited thermal supersonic expansion by an inhomogeneous magnetic field produces well-defined daughter beams for each M state. The deflection patterns are spatially resolved with a translatable detector and used to derive fine-structure populations in the 3P0 and 3P2 states, and to measure absolute efficiency of state selection by optical depletion. The fine-structure population ratio 3P2/3P0 is measured for electron excitation energies from 100–400 eV, showing a 20%–40% decline with increasing energy for all the rare gases. Radiative decay due to perturbation by the magnetic field appears to be negligible, but the M-state-resolved populations are unequal and asymmetric, perhaps due to Majorana transitions at the entrance to the field. The method may also be useful in polarized angular momentum studies of metastable atom–molecule collisions.

Review of Scientific Instruments•Nov 1, 1987•16 citations
The inhomogeneous magnetic field of a permanent-magnet planar Halbach array is used to either deflect or to specularly reflect a supersonic beam of neutral atoms. Metastable neon and helium beams are tested to experimentally evaluate the performance of this array in a range of configurations. Results are compared with numerical simulations and the device is presented as a high precision tool for the manipulation of neutral atom beams.
A Halbach array composed of 12 permanent magnets in a hexapole configuration is employed to deflect hydrogen atoms as they exit a Zeeman decelerator. The ability to preferentially manipulate H atoms is very useful, as there are currently very few techniques that are appropriate for purifying a beam of H atoms from precursor molecules (such as molecular hydrogen or ammonia), seed gases, and other contaminant species. The extent to which hydrogen atoms are deflected by a single Halbach array when it is tilted or shifted off the main beam axis is characterised experimentally and interpreted with the aid of a simple mathematical model. A radical beam filter is subsequently introduced, where four Halbach arrays arranged in series serve to deflect H atoms away from the main beam axis and around skimming blades; all other components of the incoming beam are blocked by the blades and are thus not transmitted through the magnetic guide. The properties of the guide, as established by experimental measurements and complemented by detailed simulations, confirm that it is a highly effective beam filter-successfully generating a pure and velocity-selected beam of H atoms.
In this paper we present a multiple element magnetic device to guide atoms using a spatially inhomogeneous magnetic field formed by a series of permanent hexapole magnets. The operation of the device is demonstrated using an enhanced beam of neon atoms in the 3P2 metastable state. These atoms are guided around a bend of 30 degrees from their original path. A flux of 4.35 x 10(9) +/- 2 x 10(7) atoms s(-1) was measured after the device yielding a transmission efficiency of approximately 9% of the input flux. Simulations of the center of mass motion of the atoms through the magnetic guide have been performed giving reasonable agreement with the experimental results.
We have deflected a beam of metastable helium atoms using the inhomogeneous magnetic field above a microfabricated electromagnet mirror. The mirror consisted of a single current-carrying wire in a periodic serpentine pattern on a planar sapphire substrate. A time-dependent current (and magnetic field) synchronized with a pulsed thermal atomic beam was used to compensate for the chromaticity of the deflection. The freedom to fabricate a wide variety of geometries and to employ time-dependent fields make microelectromagnets promising new tools for atom manipulation.
We report the experimental demonstration of a novel method to slow atoms and molecules with permanent magnetic moments using pulsed magnetic fields. In our experiments, we observe the slowing of a supersonic beam of metastable neon from 461.0 ± 7.7 to 403 ± 16 m s−1 in 18 stages, where the slowed peak is clearly separated from the initial distribution. This method has broad applications as it may easily be generalized, using seeding and entrainment into supersonic beams, to all paramagnetic atoms and molecules.
Abstract Well-collimated, high-intensity beams of neutral atoms have many applications ranging from atom microscopy to atom interferometry to ultracold atomic physics. We experimentally demonstrate a method for brightening a supersonic atomic beam and observe an increase in the phase space density by a factor of at least 20. Our scheme relies upon a permanent magnetic hexapole lens to focus a divergent beam of neutral atoms emitted from a supersonic nozzle and transverse laser cooling as the beam converges downstream from the lens so as to create a dense, narrow, Doppler-collimated atomic beam. In principle, this method can be repeated multiple times in series for further beam brightening.
Deflection of 3S1 and 3P2 metastable rare-gas atoms in an electron-impact-excited thermal supersonic expansion by an inhomogeneous magnetic field produces well-defined daughter beams for each M state. The deflection patterns are spatially resolved with a translatable detector and used to derive fine-structure populations in the 3P0 and 3P2 states, and to measure absolute efficiency of state selection by optical depletion. The fine-structure population ratio 3P2/3P0 is measured for electron excitation energies from 100–400 eV, showing a 20%–40% decline with increasing energy for all the rare gases. Radiative decay due to perturbation by the magnetic field appears to be negligible, but the M-state-resolved populations are unequal and asymmetric, perhaps due to Majorana transitions at the entrance to the field. The method may also be useful in polarized angular momentum studies of metastable atom–molecule collisions.