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Atom funnels and their applications

Yin Jian

Published Jan 1, 2005• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

The basic principles of magnetic and optical atom funnels are introduced and the schemes and experimental results of various funnels are reviewed in some detail. These include optical funnels using a focused red-detuned Gaussian beam, blue-detuned evanescent-light wave and blue-detuned hollow beam, magnetic funnels with current-carrying wires, and certain magneto-optical funnels using magneto-optical molasses techniques. Finally, some potential applications of these funnels in atom optics are briefly described.

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The basic principles of magnetic and optical atom funnels are introduced and the schemes and experimental results of various funnels are reviewed in some detail. These include optical funnels using a focused red-detuned Gaussian beam, blue-detuned evanescent-light wave and blue-detuned hollow beam, magnetic funnels with current-carrying wires, and certain magneto-optical funnels using magneto-optical molasses techniques. Finally, some potential applications of these funnels in atom optics are briefly described.
We propose an atomic funnel consisting of a dark hollow, divergent laser beam and an evanescent light in a short micron-sized hollow optical fiber. The cold atoms extracted from a magneto-optical trap experience effective Sisyphus cooling in the dark hollow beam. We calculate the potential barriers for atomic guiding in the evanescent light and the dark hollow beam, and analyze the atomic losses during the guiding and funneling process. Our results show that the equilibrium three-dimensional root-mean-square momentum of about $4.5\ensuremath{\Elzxh}k$ (temperature $\ensuremath{\sim}2.5\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$) and the funneling efficiency of about 95% could be obtained. A low-velocity, intense coherent atomic beam can be generated in this funnel scheme and its potential applications in atom optics are briefly discussed.
We propose an atomic funnel composed of an evanescent-light mirror produced in a conical hollow prism. The funneling of cold Rb atoms released from a magneto-optical trap is simulated in the scheme of the evanescent-light-induced Sisyphus cooling for compensating the heating by gravity. A geometric method of the conversion of a Gaussian light beam into a doughnut-shaped light beam suitable for the atomic funnel is also experimentally demonstrated by means of a double-cone prism. Under the assumption of a proper optical intensity distribution over the inner surface of a specific conical hollow prism, the Monte Carlo simulation including the van der Waals interaction shows that a half of the released Rb atoms can be collected and the mean temperature of the collected atoms is low enough for the application to be guided with a bent hollow optical fiber.
Atom optics has seen fast development and vast achievements,and has wide application prospects.The basic principles of the manipulation and control of cold atoms using magnetic and laser fields are briefly introduced,followed by a detailed review of recent progress of geometric and wave atom optics as well as potential applications and the development of atom optics devices Topics include the reflection of atom beams and mirrors,the deflection(refraction) and focusing of atom beams and lenses,the diffraction of atom matter waves and gratings,atom interferometers,and atomic holography.
We have developed a rubidium atomic funnel for use as a matter-wave source in experiments in atom interferometry and atom optics. The funnel utilizes the techniques of laser cooling and trapping to produce a low-velocity beam of cold rubidium atoms. Atoms from a thermal beam are first slowed in a tapered magnetic field using 1D Zeeman slowing. The atoms are then loaded into a 2D magneto-optic trap or atomic funnel. The trap cools and compresses the atoms, which are then ejected from the trap by moving molasses formed with frequency-shifted laser beams. These slow atoms will be diffracted by microfabricated transmission gratings as part of a three-grating atom interferometer.