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Detecting Magneto-Optically Trapped Atoms using Velocity Mapped Ion Imaging.

Caitlin Montcrieffe

Published Nov 3, 2023• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

ProgressWe strive to cool and trap metastable, krypton atoms while utilizing velocity mapped ion imaging (VMII) to detect the atoms.As a first step, we are investigating the influence of our cooling laser (811 nm) on the krypton velocity distribution.To do this, three lasers are used to prepare and ionize our krypton sample; the ions are subsequently detected by the velocity mapped ion imaging.

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ProgressWe strive to cool and trap metastable, krypton atoms while utilizing velocity mapped ion imaging (VMII) to detect the atoms.As a first step, we are investigating the influence of our cooling laser (811 nm) on the krypton velocity distribution.To do this, three lasers are used to prepare and ionize our krypton sample; the ions are subsequently detected by the velocity mapped ion imaging.
A reaction microscope (ReMi) has been combined with a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for the kinematically complete investigation of atomic break-up processes. With the novel MOTReMi apparatus, the momentum vectors of the fragments of laser-cooled and state-prepared lithium atoms are measured in coincidence and over the full solid angle. The first successful implementation of a MOTReMi could be realized due to an optimized design of the present setup, a nonstandard operation of the MOT, and by employing a switching cycle with alternating measuring and trapping periods. The very low target temperature in the MOT (∼2 mK) allows for an excellent momentum resolution. Optical preparation of the target atoms in the excited Li 2(2)P3/2 state was demonstrated providing an atomic polarization of close to 100%. While first experimental results were reported earlier, in this work, we focus on the technical description of the setup and its performance in commissioning experiments involving target ionization in 266 nm laser pulses and in collisions with projectile ions.
A significant enhancement in the number of cold atoms in an atomic-beam-loaded magneto-optical trap (MOT) for metastable krypton atoms is observed when hollow laser beams are used in a Zeeman slower instead of a Gaussian laser beam. In the Zeeman slower setup, a combination of two hollow laser beams, i.e., a variable-diameter hollow beam generated using a pair of axicon lenses superimposed on a fixed-diameter hollow beam, has been used to reduce the longitudinal velocity of the atoms in the atomic beam below the capture speed of the MOT. The observed enhancement in the number of atoms in the MOT is attributed to reduced destruction of the atom cloud in the MOT and increased cooling of the off-axis atoms in the atomic beam, resulting from the use of hollow beams in the Zeeman slower.
We report here an atomic beam loaded magneto-optical trap (MOT) for metastable krypton atoms in which the fluorescence signal from the atomic beam is used to lock the cooling laser frequency. The fluorescence signal is generated by exciting the metastable krypton atomic beam using a probe laser beam (i.e. part of the cooling laser beam) intersecting the atomic beam at an angle. A spectral shift in the fluorescence signal can be achieved by varying the angle between the probe laser beam and the atomic beam to obtain the desired frequency detuning to lock the cooling laser frequency. This has been used to optimize the number of cold atoms in the MOT. The dependence of the peak height and slope of the atomic beam fluorescence (ABF) locking signal on the RF power in the discharge tube and pressure in the observation chamber of the setup has been studied to correlate its effect on the number of atoms in the MOT.
Rb atoms designed for low-energy photo-ion spectroscopy. The VMI-electrode geometry uses a three-electrode configuration, and the focusing electric field is optimized based on systematic simulations of relatively low-energy ions. To calibrate the apparatus, we use resonant two-color two-photon ionization of rubidium atoms as Doppler-selected ions. This VMI system provides an accuracy of 0.15 m/s and a resolution of 7.5 m/s for photoions with speeds below 100 m/s. Finally, details of the design, construction, and testing of the VMI-MOT system are presented.
Laser manipulation of neutral atoms has been used to count individual krypton-85 and krypton-81 atoms present in a natural krypton gas sample with isotopic abundances in the range of 10(-11) and 10(-13), respectively. This method of isotope trace analysis is free of contamination from other isotopes and elements and can be applied to several different isotope tracers for a wide range of applications. The demonstrated detection efficiency is 1 x 10(-7). System improvements could increase the efficiency by many orders of magnitude.