Slowing dynamics of a supersonic beam, simulation and experiments

Abstract

Abstract. In this paper we present numerical and experimental methods aimed to study the evolution in space and time of a slowed supersonic beam. These generic methods are applicable to a variety of beams and decelerating techniques. The present implemented experimental set up is based upon Zeeman slowing of a metastable atom beam. The detection uses a channel-electron multiplier and a delay-line detector allowing time-of-flight analysis and numerical image reconstruction. In particular a depopulation effect at the centre of the beam is evidenced. In view of quantifying the slowing process, Monte Carlo calculations based on rate-equations are detailed.

Characterizing the Optical Trapping of Rare Isotopes by Monte Carlo Simulation

“…A two-dimensional simulation [17] used multiple cooling and trapping subsystems chained together to model experiments, but did not include any additional experimental factors, such as the atomic beam source. A recent simulation [18] of the slowing of a supersonic atomic beam incorporated a three-dimensional treatment of atoms in a laser-field, but did not include atomic beam collimation nor optical trapping. Fully quantum treatments of light-atom interactions [19,20] used MC wavefunction techniques, but as with earlier simulations, typically only looked at individual subsystems, such as optical molasses.…”