CW Atom Laser
Abstract
A continuous-wave (cw), phase- and amplitude-stable atom laser based on magnetic guiding, magnetic compression, and continuous distributed evaporative cooling has been pursued. The continuous operation of a cold atomic beam in a high-gradient (up to 2.7kG/cm) magnetic guide of 1.7m length has been demonstrated. An imaging method has been developed that allows in-situ measurements of atom temperatures and fluxes. The atomic beam in the high-gradient portion of the guide has been found to have a transverse temperature of 420 micro-Kelvin, a longitudinal temperature of 1mK, an average velocity of order 1m/s, and a flux of about 3x10^7 per second. Using a radio-frequency current coupled directly into the guide wires, relatively hot atoms have been continuously and selectively removed from the atomic beam. A Zeeman slower has been constructed that will enable atom fluxes exceeding 10^9 per second, as required for efficient evaporative atomic-beam cooling. In the project, the foundations have been laid to prepare a cw Bose-Einstein condensate and a coherent cw matter-wave beam in the guide. This matter-wave source will be ideal for atom-interferometric field- and motion sensors, which may become important in future sensing and navigation applications.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 04, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA455526
Entities
People
- G. Raithel
Organizations
- University of Michigan