40 research outputs found
Novi nivelmanski instrumenti
Novi nivelmanski instrumenti
Atom lithography with two-dimensional optical masks
With a two-dimensional (2D) optical mask, nanoscale patterns are created for
the first time in an atom lithography process using metastable helium atoms.
The internal energy of the atoms is used to locally damage a hydrofobic resist
layer, which is removed in a wet etching process. Experiments have been
performed with several polarizations for the optical mask, resulting in
different intensity patterns, and corresponding nanoscale structures. The
results for a linear polarized light field show an array of holes with a
diameter of 260 nm, in agreement with a computed pattern. With a circularly
polarized light field a line pattern is observed with a spacing of 766 nm.
Simulations taking into account many possible experimental imperfections can
not explain this pattern.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Atom focusing by far-detuned and resonant standing wave fields: Thin lens regime
The focusing of atoms interacting with both far-detuned and resonant standing
wave fields in the thin lens regime is considered. The thin lens approximation
is discussed quantitatively from a quantum perspective. Exact quantum
expressions for the Fourier components of the density (that include all
spherical aberration) are used to study the focusing numerically. The following
lens parameters and density profiles are calculated as functions of the pulsed
field area : the position of the focal plane, peak atomic density,
atomic density pattern at the focus, focal spot size, depth of focus, and
background density. The lens parameters are compared to asymptotic, analytical
results derived from a scalar diffraction theory for which spherical aberration
is small but non-negligible (). Within the diffraction theory
analytical expressions show that the focused atoms in the far detuned case have
an approximately constant background density
while the peak density behaves as , the focal distance or
time as , the focal spot size as
, and the depth of focus as .
Focusing by the resonant standing wave field leads to a new effect, a Rabi-
like oscillation of the atom density. For the far-detuned lens, chromatic
aberration is studied with the exact Fourier results. Similarly, the
degradation of the focus that results from angular divergence in beams or
thermal velocity distributions in traps is studied quantitatively with the
exact Fourier method and understood analytically using the asymptotic results.
Overall, we show that strong thin lens focusing is possible with modest laser
powers and with currently achievable atomic beam characteristics.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figure
Continuous loading of a magnetic trap
We have realized a scheme for continuous loading of a magnetic trap (MT).
^{52}Cr atoms are continuously captured and cooled in a magneto-optical trap
(MOT). Optical pumping to a metastable state decouples atoms from the cooling
light. Due to their high magnetic moment (6 Bohr magnetons), low-field seeking
metastable atoms are trapped in the magnetic quadrupole field provided by the
MOT. Limited by inelastic collisions between atoms in the MOT and in the MT, we
load 10^8 metastable atoms at a rate of 10^8 atoms/s below 100 microkelvin into
the MT. After loading we can perform optical repumping to realize a MT of
ground state chromium atoms.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, version 2, modified references, included
additional detailed information, minor changes in figure 3 and in tex
Squeezing of Atoms in a Pulsed Optical Lattice
We study the process of squeezing of an ensemble of cold atoms in a pulsed
optical lattice. The problem is treated both classically and
quantum-mechanically under various thermal conditions. We show that a dramatic
compression of the atomic density near the minima of the optical potential can
be achieved with a proper pulsing of the lattice. Several strategies leading to
the enhanced atomic squeezing are suggested, compared and optimized.Comment: Latex, 9 pages, 10 figures, submitted to PR
Momentum state engineering and control in Bose-Einstein condensates
We demonstrate theoretically the use of genetic learning algorithms to
coherently control the dynamics of a Bose-Einstein condensate. We consider
specifically the situation of a condensate in an optical lattice formed by two
counterpropagating laser beams. The frequency detuning between the lasers acts
as a control parameter that can be used to precisely manipulate the condensate
even in the presence of a significant mean-field energy. We illustrate this
procedure in the coherent acceleration of a condensate and in the preparation
of a superposition of prescribed relative phase.Comment: 9 pages incl. 6 PostScript figures (.eps), LaTeX using RevTeX,
submitted to Phys. Rev. A, incl. small modifications, some references adde