aqora

Magnetic trapping of decelerated neutral atoms

Harold J. Metcalf

Progress in Quantum ElectronicsJan 1, 198412 citations

Trapping of Molecular Oxygen together with Lithium Atoms

Nitzan Akerman, Michael Karpov, Yair Segev +3 more

We demonstrate simultaneous deceleration and trapping of a cold atomic and molecular mixture. This is the first step towards studies of cold atom-molecule collisions at low temperatures as well as application of sympathetic cooling. Both atoms and molecules are cooled in a supersonic expansion and are loaded into a moving magnetic trap that brings them to rest via the Zeeman interaction from an initial velocity of 375 m/s. We use a beam seeded with molecular oxygen, and entrain it with lithium atoms by laser ablation prior to deceleration. The deceleration ends with loading of the mixture into a static quadrupole trap, which is generated by two permanent magnets. We estimate 10^{9} trapped O_{2} molecules and 10^{5} Li atoms with background pressure limited lifetime on the order of 1 sec. With further improvements to lithium entrainment we expect that sympathetic cooling of molecules is within reach.We demonstrate simultaneous deceleration and trapping of a cold atomic and molecular mixture. This is the first step towards studies of cold atom-molecule collisions at low temperatures as well as application of sympathetic cooling. Both atoms and molecules are cooled in a supersonic expansion and are loaded into a moving magnetic trap that brings them to rest via the Zeeman interaction from an initial velocity of 375 m/s. We use a beam seeded with molecular oxygen, and entrain it with lithium atoms by laser ablation prior to deceleration. The deceleration ends with loading of the mixture into a static quadrupole trap, which is generated by two permanent magnets. We estimate 10^{9} trapped O_{2} molecules and 10^{5} Li atoms with background pressure limited lifetime on the order of 1 sec. With further improvements to lithium entrainment we expect that sympathetic cooling of molecules is within reach.

arXiv:1611.00155Physical Review LettersAug 16, 201756 citations

Simultaneous deceleration of atoms and molecules in a supersonic beam

Nitzan Akerman, Michael Karpov, Liron David +3 more

A unique property of Zeeman effect based manipulation of paramagnetic particle's motion is the ability to control velocities of both atoms and molecules. In particular the moving magnetic trap decelerator is capable of slowing and eventually trapping mixtures of both cold atoms and cold molecules generated in a supersonic expansion. Here we report the deceleration of molecular oxygen together with metastable argon atoms. The cold mixture with temperature below 1 K is slowed from an initial velocity of 430 m s −1 down to 100 m s −1 . Our decelerator spans 2.4 m and consists of 480 quadrupole traps. Our results pave the way for the study of sympathetic cooling of molecules by laser cooled atoms.A unique property of Zeeman effect based manipulation of paramagnetic particle's motion is the ability to control velocities of both atoms and molecules. In particular the moving magnetic trap decelerator is capable of slowing and eventually trapping mixtures of both cold atoms and cold molecules generated in a supersonic expansion. Here we report the deceleration of molecular oxygen together with metastable argon atoms. The cold mixture with temperature below 1 K is slowed from an initial velocity of 430 m s −1 down to 100 m s −1 . Our decelerator spans 2.4 m and consists of 480 quadrupole traps. Our results pave the way for the study of sympathetic cooling of molecules by laser cooled atoms.

New Journal of PhysicsJun 18, 201519 citations

Electromagnetic Trapping of Cold Atoms: An Overview

Vladilen S Letokhov

Springer eBooksJan 1, 20021 citation

Magnetic Trapping of Neutral Atoms

Harold J. Metcalf, P. van der Straten

Graduate texts in contemporary physicsJan 1, 19993 citations

Low-energy collisions between carbon atoms and oxygen molecules in a magnetic trap

Michael Karpov, Martin Pitzer, Yair Segev +2 more

Abstract Trapping of atoms and molecules in electrostatic, magnetic and optical traps has enabled studying atomic and molecular interactions on a timescale of many seconds, allowing observations of ultra-cold collisions and reactions. Here we report the first magnetic deceleration and trapping of neutral carbon atoms in a static magnetic trap. When co-trapping the carbon atoms with oxygen molecules in a superconducting trap, the carbon signal decays in a non-exponential manner, consistent with the decay model describing losses resulting from atom-molecule collisions. Our findings pave the way to studying both elastic and inelastic collisions of species that cannot be laser cooled, and specifically may facilitate the observation of reactions at low temperatures, such as C + O2 → CO + O, which is important in interstellar chemistry.Abstract Trapping of atoms and molecules in electrostatic, magnetic and optical traps has enabled studying atomic and molecular interactions on a timescale of many seconds, allowing observations of ultra-cold collisions and reactions. Here we report the first magnetic deceleration and trapping of neutral carbon atoms in a static magnetic trap. When co-trapping the carbon atoms with oxygen molecules in a superconducting trap, the carbon signal decays in a non-exponential manner, consistent with the decay model describing losses resulting from atom-molecule collisions. Our findings pave the way to studying both elastic and inelastic collisions of species that cannot be laser cooled, and specifically may facilitate the observation of reactions at low temperatures, such as C + O2 → CO + O, which is important in interstellar chemistry.

arXiv:2006.08388New Journal of PhysicsOct 1, 202012 citations

Trapping cold molecules and atoms: Simultaneous magnetic deceleration and trapping of cold molecular Oxygen with Lithium atoms

Related papers

Trapping cold molecules and atoms: Simultaneous magnetic deceleration and trapping of cold molecular Oxygen with Lithium atoms

Related papers