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Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference

Atom optics with time-averaged optical potentials using a rapidly scanning laser beam

Nir Friedman, Lev Khaykovich, Roee Ozeri, Nir Davidson

Published Jan 1, 2000• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

Summary form only given. A rapidly scanning far-detuned laser beam can generate a time-averaged optical dipole potential provided that the scan speed is much faster then any characteristic atomic motional time scale. The slow motional time scales of ultra cold atoms enables the use of even tightly focused scanning beams with readily attainable scan speeds of few hundred kHz. This concept offers the possibility to form nearly arbitrary effective optical potentials and also to change them in real time. It was recently used for adiabatic compression of rubidium atoms in a single-beam dark optical trap up to densities of 5/spl times/10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/. Here we report on three new atom-optics applications based on rapidly scanning beams.

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Summary form only given. Preparation of slow atomic beams has applications in experiments such as lithography, atom interferometry and in general for transporting atoms, for example from one vacuum chamber to another. Optical methods together with hollow fibers have been successfully employed to transport atoms, and all-optical methods using far off-resonant dipole forces have recently attracted much interest. Such all-optical methods have advantages in that far off-resonant dipole traps have potentially very low scattering rates, especially blue detuned hollow beam traps where atoms are restricted to low intensity regions where perturbations due to the light field are minimum. Optical atom guides also have practical advantages in that they can be switched, and can be easily introduced into high vacuum apparatus. Blue detuned hollow laser beams generated from a hollow optical fiber have been used to guide atoms (Xu et al, 1999; Babiker et al, 1994), and holographically generated doughnut beams have been used to guide and focus a cold beam of metastable neon atoms. In our experiments, we investigate the motion of cold rubidium atoms in far-detuned and near-resonant doughnut beams.

Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference•Nov 13, 2002•0 citations
Summary form only given. A rapidly scanning far-detuned laser beam can generate a time-averaged optical dipole potential provided that the scan speed is much faster then any characteristic atomic motional time scale. The slow motional time scales of ultra cold atoms enables the use of even tightly focused scanning beams with readily attainable scan speeds of few hundred kHz. This concept offers the possibility to form nearly arbitrary effective optical potentials and also to change them in real time. It was recently used for adiabatic compression of rubidium atoms in a single-beam dark optical trap up to densities of 5/spl times/10/sup 13/ cm/sup -3/. Here we report on three new atom-optics applications based on rapidly scanning beams.
We propose and demonstrate a scheme for a blue-detuned optical dipole trap for cold atoms which consists of a single, rapidly rotating laser beam. We characterize a parameter range in which the optical potential can be accurately described by a quasistatic time-averaged potential. The trap is loaded with >106>{10}^{6}>106 Rb atoms, and is then compressed adiabatically by a factor of 350 to a final density of $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{13}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}.$ $\mathrm{A}\ensuremath{\sim}4$ times adiabatic increase in the peak phase-space density of the trapped atoms is obtained due to the change in the shape of the trap potential. The two-body elastic and inelastic collision rates of atoms in the compressed trap are determined.
The loading of ultra-cold atoms into two-dimensional, time-averaged optical potentials was demonstrated. The time-averaging scheme allows us to make arbitrary and two dimensional potentials, where the potential shape and depth can be dynamically controlled. Traps are produced by rapidly scanning a red-detuned laser focus in any desired pattern using a two-dimensional acousto-optical modulator (AOM). Smooth optical potentials are created when the scanning speed is much higher than any trapping frequency in system, resulting in a time-averaged dipole potential for the atoms. The depth of the potential can be controlled at any time and place by modulating the amplitude of the applied radio frequency to the AOM.
We propose and investigate a technique for generating smooth two-dimensional potentials for ultra-cold atoms based on the rapid scanning of a far-detuned laser beam using a two-dimensional acousto-optical modulator (AOM). We demonstrate the implementation of a feed-forward mechanism for fast and accurate control of the spatial intensity of the laser beam, resulting in improved homogeneity for the atom trap. This technique could be used to generate a smooth toroidal trap that would be useful for static and dynamic experiments on superfluidity and persistent currents with ultra-cold atoms.
Summary form only given. Preparation of slow atomic beams has applications in experiments such as lithography, atom interferometry and in general for transporting atoms, for example from one vacuum chamber to another. Optical methods together with hollow fibers have been successfully employed to transport atoms, and all-optical methods using far off-resonant dipole forces have recently attracted much interest. Such all-optical methods have advantages in that far off-resonant dipole traps have potentially very low scattering rates, especially blue detuned hollow beam traps where atoms are restricted to low intensity regions where perturbations due to the light field are minimum. Optical atom guides also have practical advantages in that they can be switched, and can be easily introduced into high vacuum apparatus. Blue detuned hollow laser beams generated from a hollow optical fiber have been used to guide atoms (Xu et al, 1999; Babiker et al, 1994), and holographically generated doughnut beams have been used to guide and focus a cold beam of metastable neon atoms. In our experiments, we investigate the motion of cold rubidium atoms in far-detuned and near-resonant doughnut beams.