Trapping ultracold atoms close to surfaces and molecule chips

C. C. Nshii, Matthieu Vangeleyn, Joseph P. Cotter +7 more

Mukund Vengalattore, Wilbert Rooijakkers, Richard Conroy +1 more

M. Tscherneck, M E Holmes, Pedro Antonio Quinto-Su +3 more

In this paper we will report on four experiments which have been carried out in the last year in our group. All of these experiments are necessary steps towards the trapping and probing of ultracold molecules on a chip surface.

Rachel J. Berkowitz

Isabel Llorente‐Garcia, Benoît Darquié, E. A. Curtis +2 more

This paper reports on experiments with ultracold rubidium atoms confined in microscopic magnetic traps created using a piece of periodically magnetized videotape mounted on an atom chip. The roughness of the confining potential is studied with atomic clouds at temperatures of a few μK and at distances between 30 and 80 μm from the videotape-chip surface. The inhomogeneities in the magnetic field created by the magnetized videotape close to the central region of the chip are characterized in this way. In addition, we demonstrate a novel transport mechanism whereby we convey cold atoms confined in arrays of videotape magnetic micro-traps over distances as large as ∼1 cm parallel to the chip surface. This conveying mechanism enables us to survey the surface of the chip and observe potential-roughness effects across different regions.

Yutaka Kobayashi