Spatial shaping for generating arbitrary optical dipole traps for ultracold degenerate gases

Journal Article · Wed Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4895676· OSTI ID:22306217

Lee, Jeffrey G., E-mail: [e-mail] ^[1]; Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 ^[2]; Hill, W. T., E-mail: [e-mail] ^[1]; Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 ^[2]; Department of Physics, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 ^[2]

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1. Joint Quantum Institute, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)
2. (United States)

We present two spatial-shaping approaches – phase and amplitude – for creating two-dimensional optical dipole potentials for ultracold neutral atoms. When combined with an attractive or repulsive Gaussian sheet formed by an astigmatically focused beam, atoms are trapped in three dimensions resulting in planar confinement with an arbitrary network of potentials – a free-space atom chip. The first approach utilizes an adaptation of the generalized phase-contrast technique to convert a phase structure embedded in a beam after traversing a phase mask, to an identical intensity profile in the image plane. Phase masks, and a requisite phase-contrast filter, can be chemically etched into optical material (e.g., fused silica) or implemented with spatial light modulators; etching provides the highest quality while spatial light modulators enable prototyping and realtime structure modification. This approach was demonstrated on an ensemble of thermal atoms. Amplitude shaping is possible when the potential structure is made as an opaque mask in the path of a dipole trap beam, followed by imaging the shadow onto the plane of the atoms. While much more lossy, this very simple and inexpensive approach can produce dipole potentials suitable for containing degenerate gases. High-quality amplitude masks can be produced with standard photolithography techniques. Amplitude shaping was demonstrated on a Bose-Einstein condensate.

• OSTI ID: 22306217
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 85, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AMPLITUDES
ATOMS
BEAMS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
CONFINEMENT
DIPOLES
ETCHING
FILTERS
GASES
IMAGES
POTENTIALS
SILICA
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VISIBLE RADIATION