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Long Range Interactions in MagnetoOptical Traps

G. Labeyrie, G. L. Gattobigio, Thomas Pohl, Robin Kaiser

Published Jan 1, 2013• 0 citations
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Abstract

We present in this paper a review of our work on the impact of long-range interactions on the static and dynamic behaviors of magneto-optical traps (MOT) for neutral atoms. In such systems, all forces (confinement and interaction) are mediated by light. The most obvious signature of longrange interactions is the dependence of the MOT size with number  of trapped atoms. We study in detail the scaling laws for the MOT size versus  , in a range of large N '3> 10^. We then show that the competition between confinement and repulsive interaction can lead, for  large, to a new dynamical instability characterized by spontaneous, self-sustained oscillations of the MOT. This instability is investigated experimentally and theoretically, using both a simple analytical model and a more refined numerical one.

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\nWe study the properties of a magneto-optical trap of Rubidium in the\nlimit of very large number of atoms (up to N$_{\\rm at} =10^{10}$). In\nthis regime we observe a new scaling law for the size of the MOT ($\n\\propto {\\rm N}_{\\rm at}$$^{1/2}$). Several physical ingredients could\npossibly contribute to this new behavior : a correction of the\nspring constant due to the shadow effect, multiple scattering beyond\ndouble scattering and non linear spatial dependence of the forces.\nThis study should allow to design new compression technique to\nachieve high spatial densities (ideally up to ${\\rm n}=10^{13}\\,{\\rm\ncm}^{-3}$) in order to study new localization effects of light in\ndense cloud of cold atoms.\n

Journal de Physique IV (Proceedings)•Oct 1, 2006•0 citations
We present in this paper a review of our work on the impact of long-range interactions on the static and dynamic behaviors of magneto-optical traps (MOT) for neutral atoms. In such systems, all forces (confinement and interaction) are mediated by light. The most obvious signature of longrange interactions is the dependence of the MOT size with number  of trapped atoms. We study in detail the scaling laws for the MOT size versus  , in a range of large N '3> 10^. We then show that the competition between confinement and repulsive interaction can lead, for  large, to a new dynamical instability characterized by spontaneous, self-sustained oscillations of the MOT. This instability is investigated experimentally and theoretically, using both a simple analytical model and a more refined numerical one.
We present in this paper a review of our work on the impact of long‐range interactions on the static and dynamic behaviors of magneto‐optical traps (MOT) for neutral atoms. In such systems, all forces (confinement and interaction) are mediated by light. The most obvious signature of long‐range interactions is the dependence of the MOT size with number N of trapped atoms. We study in detail the scaling laws for the MOT size versus N, in a range of large N≫108. We then show that the competition between confinement and repulsive interaction can lead, for N large, to a new dynamical instability characterized by spontaneous, self‐sustained oscillations of the MOT. This instability is investigated experimentally and theoretically, using both a simple analytical model and a more refined numerical one.
We have observed self-sustained radial oscillations in a large magneto-optical trap, containing up to 10(10) Rb85 atoms. This instability is due to the competition between the confining force of the magneto-optical trap and the repulsive interaction associated with multiple scattering of light inside the cold atomic cloud. A simple analytical model allows us to formulate a criterion for the instability threshold, in fair agreement with our observations. This criterion shows that large numbers of trapped atoms N>10(9) are required to observe this unstable behavior.
Considering light-mediated long-range interactions between cold atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), we present numerical evidence of a nonequilibrium steady state (NESS) for sufficiently large number of atoms (>108). This state manifests itself as the appearance of an anisotropic distribution of velocity when a MOT approaches the threshold beyond which self-oscillating instabilities occur. Our three-dimensional (3D) spatiotemporal model with nonlocal spatial dependencies stemming from the interatomic interactions has recently been compared successfully to predict different instability thresholds and regimes in experiments with rubidium atoms. The behavior of the NESS is studied as a function of the main MOT parameters, including its spatiotemporal characteristics.
Large clouds of atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) are known to exhibit spatiotemporal instabilities when the frequency of the trapping lasers comes close to the atomic resonance. Such instabilities possess similarities with stars and confined plasmas, where corresponding nonlinearities may give rise to spontaneous oscillations. In this paper, we describe the kinetic model that has recently been employed in three-dimensional (3D) simulations of spatiotemporal instabilities in a MOT, yielding qualitative agreements with experimentally observed instability thresholds and regimes. Details surrounding its implementation are included, and the impact of its physical effects on the instabilities is investigated to improve the understanding of the complex mechanism at work.
Multiple scattering of light has been the main limitation of the maximum atomic density achievable in magneto-optical traps (MOTs). We present a detailed experimental investigation of the size and density scaling laws for large MOTs with up to N=1010 atoms, larger than those usually studied in detail. Most of our observations can be explained with previous models and only a few regimes show unexplained deviations. We also propose a new repulsion mechanism, based on the rescattered repumper photons that might limit the atomic density of atoms when the optical thickness for repumper light becomes important, adding an additional ingredient in the complexity of large MOTs.
\nWe study the properties of a magneto-optical trap of Rubidium in the\nlimit of very large number of atoms (up to Nrmat=1010_{\\rm at} =10^{10}rmat​=1010). In\nthis regime we observe a new scaling law for the size of the MOT ($\n\\propto {\\rm N}_{\\rm at}$1/2^{1/2}1/2). Several physical ingredients could\npossibly contribute to this new behavior : a correction of the\nspring constant due to the shadow effect, multiple scattering beyond\ndouble scattering and non linear spatial dependence of the forces.\nThis study should allow to design new compression technique to\nachieve high spatial densities (ideally up to ${\\rm n}=10^{13}\\,{\\rm\ncm}^{-3}$) in order to study new localization effects of light in\ndense cloud of cold atoms.\n