Cooling flexural modes of a mechanical oscillator by magnetically trapped Bose-Einstein-condensate atoms

Abstract

We theoretically study cooling of flexural modes of a mechanical oscillator by Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC) atoms (Rb87) trapped in a magnetic trap. The mechanical oscillator with a tiny magnet attached on one of its free ends produces an oscillating magnetic field. When its oscillating frequency matches certain hyperfine Zeeman energy of Rb87 atoms, the trapped BEC atoms are coupled out of the magnetic trap by the mechanical oscillator, flying away from the trap with stolen energy from the mechanical oscillator. Thus the mode temperature of the mechanical oscillator is reduced. The mode temperature of the steady state of the mechanical oscillator, measured by the mean steady-state phonon number in the flexural mode of the mechanical oscillator, is analyzed. It is found that ground state (phonon number less than 1) may be accessible with optimal parameters of the hybrid system of a mechanical oscillator and trapped BEC atoms.