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Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE

Laser-diode-tuned chromium atom trapping and fabrication with atom optics technology

Kenji Okamoto, Hironobu Inouye, Yasushi Inouye, Satoshi Kawata

Published May 7, 1999• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We developed a laser-beam-controlled atom-manipulation system to deposit nanometric structure of atoms on a substrate. Atom beam of chromium is thermally evaporated and collimated with Doppler cooling technique using frequency-tuned laser diode. The gradient force is exerted on atoms by a standing wave over the substrate, and atoms are trapped in a low potential region of the standing wave. Consequently, a series of lines are formed on the substrate with the same periodicity to the standing wave. We present the analysis of trajectories of atoms in the light force potential to find conditions of the laser power, the sign and the degree of the detuning of the laser frequency from the resonance frequency of the atom, to reduce the width of the structure.

DOI
10.1117/12.347842

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We developed a laser-beam-controlled atom-manipulation system to deposit nanometric structure of atoms on a substrate. Atom beam of chromium is thermally evaporated and collimated with Doppler cooling technique using frequency-tuned laser diode. The gradient force is exerted on atoms by a standing wave over the substrate, and atoms are trapped in a low potential region of the standing wave. Consequently, a series of lines are formed on the substrate with the same periodicity to the standing wave. We present the analysis of trajectories of atoms in the light force potential to find conditions of the laser power, the sign and the degree of the detuning of the laser frequency from the resonance frequency of the atom, to reduce the width of the structure.
We developed an atom-optical system that utilized a laser diode (LD) for both laser atom cooling and trapping. The LD is easy to maintain and operate, and is therefore suitable for engineering applications. The neutral atom beam of chromium was collimated by Doppler cooling and focused by a standing wave lens, and then directly deposited onto a silicon substrate. A nanograting structure with periodicity identical to the wavelength of the standing wave, 212.78 nm, was successfully achieved. The atom beam generation, collimating, focusing and deposition processes were experimentally and theoretically investigated.
Fundamental interaction processes between atoms and photons are exploited to control external degrees of freedom of the atoms. Laser light, when properly tuned near an atomic resonance, exerts such forces that the atoms are repelled from or attracted to the regions with low light intensities. We use these forces to manipulate atom beams on nanometer-scale. In the simplest approach to nanofabrication via atom optics, a laser standing wave serves as a 'mask' through which the atoms are deposited onto a substrate. In this thesis we first present the modeling results on the focusing properties of a standing wave laser field and on the surface diffusion and growth phenomena in laser-focused atomic deposition. The development of our experimental facility for laser-manipulated deposition with chromium atoms (based on the obtained modeling results) is reported on. Thereafter, we demonstrate laser manipulation of chromium atoms and fabrication of nanostructures with these atoms. The results obtained in Nijmegen and also those obtained in collaboration with J.J. McClelland's group from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA) are analyzed with the aim of understanding the role of atom-optical and surface growth phenomena in the fabrication process of laser-focused nanostructures
The ability to fabricate nanometer-sized structures that are stable in air has the potential to contribute significantly to the advancement of new nanotechnologies and our understanding of nanoscale systems. Laser light can be used to control the motion of atoms on a nanoscopic scale. Chromium atoms were focused by a standing-wave laser field as they deposited onto a silicon substrate. The resulting nanostructure consisted of a series of narrow lines covering 0.4 millimeter by 1 millimeter. Atomic force microscopy measurements showed a line width of 65 +/- 6 nanometers, a spacing of 212.78 nanometers, and a height of 34 +/-+ 10 nanometers. The observed line widths and shapes are compared with the predictions of a semiclassical atom optical model.
The techniques of atom optics can be applied during the deposition of atoms onto a surface to produce nanostructures. A laser is used to form a standing wave intensity pattern in front of the substrate. An atom beam, which has been collimated by optical means, is focused onto the substrate by dipole forces from the standing wave pattern so as to deposit a series of lines spaced by half the laser wavelength. We describe the fabrication of a Cr nanograting formed using this new technique. The experimental arrangement for deposition and the optical collimation of the atom beam are described. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the resulting nanostructures are presented.
The technology of laser-focused atomic deposition can be used to develop the nanostructure transfer standard of length.The atomic laser cooling is a key technique in atom lithography.A theoretical investigation of chromium atomic beam in optical traps is reported in this paper.The Doppler and sub-Doppler laser cooling forces are discussed and some characteristics of these forces are shown based on the semi-classical theory.The simulation results indicate that the atomic beam can be collimated by these laser cooling forces,especially by sub-Doppler laser cooling force and can reach the Doppler limit 120 μk,relative horizontal-speed 13.87 cm/s.