Matter-wave optics: Observing an ultracold atomic cloud expanding in free fall

This Research Highlight showcases the Research Paper entitled, Collective-Mode Enhanced Matter-Wave Optics https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/ PhysRevLett.127.10040

An economical method to calculate eigenvalues of the Schroedinger Equation

The method is an extension to negative energies of a spectral integral equation method to solve the Schroedinger equation, developed previously for scattering applications. One important innovation is a re-scaling procedure in order to compensate for the exponential behaviour of the negative energy Green's function. Another is the need to find approximate energy eigenvalues, to serve as starting values for a subsequent iteration procedure. In order to illustrate the new method, the binding energy of the He-He dimer is calculated, using the He-He TTY potential. In view of the small value of the binding energy, the wave function has to be calculated out to a distance of 3000 a.u. Two hundred mesh points were sufficient to obtain an accuracy of three significant figures for the binding energy, and with 320 mesh points the accuracy increased to six significant figures. An application to a potential with two wells separated by a barrier, is also made.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Eur. J. Phy

AC electric trapping of neutral atoms

We study the dynamic behavior of ultracold neutral atoms in a macroscopic ac electric trap. Confinement in such a trap is achieved by switching between two saddle-point configurations of the electric field. The gradual formation of a stably trapped cloud is observed and the trap performance is studied versus the switching frequency and the symmetry of the switching cycle. Additionally, the electric field in the trap is mapped out by imaging the atom cloud while the fields are still on. Finally, the phase-space acceptance of the trap is probed by introducing a modified switching cycle. The experimental results are reproduced using full three-dimensional trajectory calculations.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, updated version, added journal referenc

Observation of Mixed Fermionic-Bosonic Helium Clusters by Transmission Grating Diffraction

Small weakly bound boson-fermion ⁴Hem³Hen clusters formed in a free jet expansion are identified using nondestructive transmission grating diffraction. The observations confirm the existence of more than 11 very tenuous complexes including the three-body halo molecule ⁴He₂³He and the pseudo-Borromean complex ⁴He₂³He₂. Effective cluster formation temperatures, extracted from a sudden freeze model for cluster growth using theoretical binding energies, increase smoothly with cluster size, thereby confirming the calculations with the possible exception of ⁴He₂³He₂

Atomic Cluster Au₁₀⁺ Is a Strong Broadband Midinfrared Chromophore

We report an intense broadband midinfrared absorption band in the Au10+ cluster in a region in which only molecular vibrations would normally be expected. Observed in the infrared multiple photon dissociation spectra of Au10Ar+, Au10(N2O)+, and Au10(OCS)+, the smooth feature stretches 700–3400  cm-1 (λ=14–2.9  μm). Calculations confirm unusually low-energy allowed electronic excitations consistent with the observed spectra. In Au10(OCS)+, IR absorption throughout the band drives OCS decomposition resulting in CO loss, providing an alternative method of bond activation or breaking

Gas-Phase Mechanism of O^.-/Ni²⁺-Mediated Methane Conversion to Formaldehyde

The gas-phase reaction of NiAl2O4+ with CH4 is studied by mass spectrometry in combination with vibrational action spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT). Two product ions, NiAl2O4H+ and NiAl2O3H2+, are identified in the mass spectra. The DFT calculations predict that the global minimum-energy isomer of NiAl2O4+ contains Ni in the +II oxidation state and features a terminal Al−O.- oxygen radical site. They show that methane can react along two competing pathways leading to formation of either a methyl radical (CH3⋅) or formaldehyde (CH2O). Both reactions are initiated by hydrogen atom transfer from methane to the terminal O.- site, followed by either CH3⋅ loss or CH3⋅ migration to an O2- site next to the Ni2+ center. The CH3⋅ attaches as CH3+ to O2- and its unpaired electron is transferred to the Ni-center reducing it to Ni+. The proposed mechanism is experimentally confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy of the reactant and two different product ions

Elucidating Surface Structure with Action Spectroscopy

Surface Action Spectroscopy, a vibrational spectroscopy method developed in recent years at the Fritz Haber Institute is employed for structure determination of clean and H2O-dosed (111) magnetite surfaces. Surface structural information is revealed by using the microscopic surface vibrations as a fingerprint of the surface structure. Such vibrations involve just the topmost atomic layers, and therefore the structural information is truly surface related. Our results strongly support the view that regular Fe3O4(111)/Pt(111) is terminated by the so-called Fetet1 termination, that the biphase termination of Fe3O4(111)/Pt(111) consists of FeO and Fe3O4(111) terminated areas, and we show that the method can differentiate between different water structures in H2O-derived adsorbate layers on Fe3O4(111)/Pt(111). With this, we conclude that the method is a capable new member in the set of techniques providing crucial information to elucidate surface structures. The method does not rely on translational symmetry and can therefore also be applied to systems which are not well ordered. Even an application to rough surfaces is possible

Gas-Phase Mechanism of O^.-/Ni²⁺-Mediated Methane Conversion to Formaldehyde

The gas-phase reaction of NiAl2O4+ with CH4 is studied by mass spectrometry in combination with vibrational action spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT). Two product ions, NiAl2O4H+ and NiAl2O3H2+, are identified in the mass spectra. The DFT calculations predict that the global minimum-energy isomer of NiAl2O4+ contains Ni in the +II oxidation state and features a terminal Al−O.- oxygen radical site. They show that methane can react along two competing pathways leading to formation of either a methyl radical (CH3⋅) or formaldehyde (CH2O). Both reactions are initiated by hydrogen atom transfer from methane to the terminal O.- site, followed by either CH3⋅ loss or CH3⋅ migration to an O2- site next to the Ni2+ center. The CH3⋅ attaches as CH3+ to O2- and its unpaired electron is transferred to the Ni-center reducing it to Ni+. The proposed mechanism is experimentally confirmed by vibrational spectroscopy of the reactant and two different product ions

Towards quantum superpositions of a mirror

We propose a scheme for creating quantum superposition states involving of order $10^{14}$ atoms via the interaction of a single photon with a tiny mirror. This mirror, mounted on a high-quality mechanical oscillator, is part of a high-finesse optical cavity which forms one arm of a Michelson interferometer. By observing the interference of the photon only, one can study the creation and decoherence of superpositions involving the mirror. All experimental requirements appear to be within reach of current technology.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let