In this thesis, I explore a variety of experiments within linear, two-wire, magnetic atom guides. Experiments include guiding of Rydberg atoms; transferring between states while keeping the atoms contained within the guide; and designing, constructing, and testing a new experimental apparatus. The ultimate goal of the atom guiding experiments is to develop a continuous atom laser. The guiding of Rydberg atoms is demonstrated. The evolution of the atoms is driven by the combined effects of dipole forces acting on the center-of-mass degree of freedom as well as internal-state transitions. Time delayed microwave and state-selective field ionization are used to investigate the evolution of the internal-state distribution as well as the Rydberg atom motion while traversing the guide. The observed decay time of the guided-atom signal is about five times that of the initial state. A population transfer between Rydberg states contributes to this lengthened lifetime, and also broadens the observed field ionization spectrum. Transfer from one guided ground state to another is studied. In our setup, before the atoms enter the guide, they are pumped into the
∣F=1,mF=−1rangle state. Using two repumpers, one tuned to the
F=1rightarrowF′=0 transition and the other tuned to the
F=1rightarrowF′=2 transition, the atoms are pumped between these guided states. Magnetic reflections within the guide are also studied. Design and construction of a new linear magnetic atom guide is detailed. This guide~
beta has many improvements over the original guide~
alpha: a Zeeman slower, magnetic injection, a physical shutter, and surface adsorption evaporative cooling are some of the main changes. Testing of this new system is underway. It is hoped that the improvements to guide~
beta will yield an atom density sufficient to reach degeneracy, thereby forming a continuous BEC at the end of the guide. The BEC, which will be continuously replenished by the atoms within the guide, will be outcoupled to form a continuous atom laser.
A solenoid consisting of two interwound helical coils carrying equal but opposite currents can act as a guide for neutral atoms. In this paper we develop the theory of such a guide and report on its performance in guiding laser-cooled cesium atoms. Our guide is a useful tool for transporting cooled atoms since it prevents ballistic expansion of the atomic cloud after it is released from a magneto-optical trap. In contrast to atom-guide designs using permanent magnets, our guide can be switched off by switching the currents; hence it can be placed close to a magnetic trap without adversely affecting the trapping efficiency. One of the unique features of this guide is that, except in the immediate neighborhood of the walls of the guide, the atoms are not magnetically perturbed to any appreciable extent by the guide field. This opens up the possibility of a system for cooling atoms.
We present a method of coupling laser-cooled atoms from a vapor-cell magneto-optic trap (MOT) into a magnetic atom guide. The axis of the four-wire quadrupole guide passes directly through the center of the MOT. The guide is tilted at a small angle with respect to the horizontal plane to facilitate the propagation of the atoms released from the MOT into the guide. We demonstrate the loading of
10587Rb atoms into the guide and measure their propagation up to distances of 17 cm (limited by the guide length). The guide incorporates a tapered section in which the guide diameter reduces by a factor of about 3.