Experiments with Supersonic Beams as a Source of Cold Atoms
Experiments with Supersonic Beams as a Source of Cold Atoms
Experiments with Supersonic Beams as a Source of Cold Atoms
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actually a transverse rather than longitudinal effect. With so many coils, the beam<br />
can be brought to low velocity using small ph<strong>as</strong>e angles. While the beam is still<br />
moving quickly the atoms propagate well into the coil before it is completely <strong>of</strong>f,<br />
allowing the focusing and transverse guiding properties <strong>of</strong> the field inside the coil to<br />
provide transverse stability. However, by continuing to use a large ph<strong>as</strong>e even when<br />
the atoms are slow, they do not get into the coil before the field is <strong>of</strong>f. This means<br />
that the antiguiding force applied outside <strong>of</strong> the coil dominates and the atoms are<br />
de-focused, leading to a loss <strong>of</strong> flux <strong>as</strong> atoms hit the walls <strong>of</strong> the coilgun and are lost.<br />
The met<strong>as</strong>table neon beam is not slowed below 55.8 m/s because the beam<br />
flux decre<strong>as</strong>es rapidly for lower velocities. Looking at how the flux decre<strong>as</strong>es at both<br />
the extended and retracted positions <strong>of</strong> the MCP shows that the decre<strong>as</strong>e in flux is<br />
primarily due to the transverse velocity <strong>of</strong> the atoms in the beam. However, this<br />
velocity is sufficient for most purposes, since the beam is slow enough that it could<br />
be loaded into a stationary magnetic trap.<br />
4.6 The Molecular Coilgun: Stopping Molecular Oxygen<br />
Having shown that the coilgun method gives full control <strong>of</strong> the velocity <strong>of</strong> a<br />
beam <strong>of</strong> atoms, the next step is to show the generality <strong>of</strong> the coilgun method. Slow-<br />
ing <strong>of</strong> met<strong>as</strong>table neon demonstrates control over atomic velocities, but slowing <strong>of</strong><br />
a molecule demonstrates the broad applicability <strong>of</strong> the coilgun method, and shows<br />
that it is a general method <strong>of</strong> producing cold and slow samples. To this end, the<br />
coilgun is used to slow a beam <strong>of</strong> molecular oxygen. Oxygen is chosen because it<br />
h<strong>as</strong> a permanent magnetic moment in the ground electronic state, and because <strong>of</strong> its<br />
importance in several chemical processes. Being a molecule, oxygen h<strong>as</strong> a more com-<br />
plicated internal energy level structure <strong>with</strong> avoided level crossings between different<br />
rotational states. This makes an experimental demonstration <strong>of</strong> the coilgun method’s<br />
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