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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the magnitude <strong>of</strong> the field some distance along the axis from the center, the field is<br />
eventually a maximum along the axis, instead <strong>of</strong> a minimum. This <strong>as</strong>pect <strong>of</strong> the field<br />
is illustrated in figure 4.7(b). This means that while low-field-seekers are focused at<br />
the center <strong>of</strong> the coil, outside the coil the magnetic field de-focuses low-field-seekers.<br />
The transverse stability <strong>of</strong> the particles in the slowed bunch depends on the interplay<br />
between these two effects.<br />
For typical coils, the focusing effect in the center <strong>of</strong> the coil is much stronger<br />
than the de-focusing effect outside the coil. However, from the discussion in section<br />
4.3.1, there is a benefit to turning the coils <strong>of</strong>f before particles reach the center <strong>of</strong><br />
the coil. The degree to which the atoms are focused instead <strong>of</strong> de-focused depends<br />
on their location in the coil when the field is switched <strong>of</strong>f. While the longitudinal<br />
stability <strong>of</strong> the slowed packet is greatest when the coils are switched when particles<br />
are far from the center <strong>of</strong> the coil, this provides the le<strong>as</strong>t transverse stability, and<br />
may even lead to a de-focusing effect on particles being slowed. However, at the<br />
cost <strong>of</strong> additional laboratory space, it may be beneficial not to switch <strong>of</strong>f some coils,<br />
enabling the particles to feel the full focusing effects <strong>of</strong> these coils and providing<br />
a counter to the de-focssing effects <strong>of</strong> switching far from the coil. This concept <strong>of</strong><br />
transverse stability also shows up in the pulsed electric field decelerator [79, 80], and<br />
is further discussed for the coilgun in [25, 81]. The concept <strong>of</strong> using strong magnetic<br />
fields to focus atoms <strong>with</strong>out slowing them is discussed in [82].<br />
4.4 Pro<strong>of</strong>-<strong>of</strong>-Principle Experiment: Slowing Met<strong>as</strong>table Neon<br />
The goal <strong>of</strong> the initial experiment w<strong>as</strong> to show that the concept presented<br />
above works, and that me<strong>as</strong>urable slowing <strong>of</strong> a beam can be achieved over a short<br />
distance. To accomplish this, an apparatus consisting <strong>of</strong> 20 coils w<strong>as</strong> produced, and<br />
this apparatus w<strong>as</strong> inserted into the same vacuum chamber that houses the rotor,<br />
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