Optical experiments with trapped atomic hydrogen

Norman F. Ramsey

T. C. Killian, Dale G. Fried, David Landhuis +4 more

O.J. Luiten, H. G. C. Werij, Irwan D. Setija +3 more

We describe the first optical experiments on atomic hydrogen in a magnetic trap, using a narrow-band source at Lyman-\ensuremath{\alpha} wavelength. By means of transmission spectroscopy we have studied the temperature and density evolution of the gas during evaporative cooling in a fixed field geometry.

Irwan D. Setija, O.J. Luiten, M. W. Reynolds +6 more

Atomic hydrogen is an important model system for the investigation of the properties of ultra‐cold gases. We summarize the current experimental situation for magnetically confined hydrogen, putting emphasis on recent optical experiments with Lyman‐α radiation. As the research is aimed at gas‐phase properties, the samples are studied at densities where interatomic collisions are frequent and internal thermal equilibrium may be assumed. Interestingly, although optically thick, the samples still may be cooled with light. We discuss both Doppler cooling and light induced evaporative cooling.

Norman F. Ramsey

The earliest trapped atom coherent resonance experiments were with material traps or bottles. In the atomic hydrogen maser the atoms are trapped inside a teflon-coated quartz bulb for about a second. Neutrons have been trapped for hundreds of seconds in suitably coated bottles or in superconducting magnetic traps. Results from experiments with trapped atoms and neutrons are given.

Carl Wieman, Christopher R. Monroe, Eric Cornell