Trapping and Manipulating Neutral Atoms with Electrostatic Fields

Krüger, Peter; Luo, Xiaojia; Klein, Martin; Brugger, K.; Haase, Andrea; Wildermuth, S.; Groth, S.; Bar‐Joseph, I.; Folman, R.; Schmiedmayer, Jörg

doi:10.1103/physrevlett.91.233201

Cited by 76 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…The electric field strength that can be achieved on the microstructure is surprisingly large. This has also been noted by Schmiedmayer and co-workers in recent experiments in which they manipulated cold atoms with combined electric and magnetic fields [18]. That such high electric fields can be achieved is most likely due to the relatively small absolute voltages that are required; when a discharge occurs, the electrons only get a limited kinetic energy, insufficient to damage the structure or to initiate avalanche processes.…”

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confidence: 52%

Microstructured Switchable Mirror for Polar Molecules

et al. 2004

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By miniaturizing electrode geometries high electric fields can be produced using modest voltages. A planar array of 20 m wide gold electrodes, spaced 20 m apart, is made on a sapphire substrate. A voltage difference of up to 350 V is applied to adjacent electrodes, generating an electric field that decreases exponentially with distance from the substrate. This microstructured array can be used as a mirror for polar molecules and can be rapidly switched on and off. This is demonstrated by retroreflecting a beam of state-selected ammonia molecules with a forward velocity of about 30 m=s. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.020406 PACS numbers: 03.75.Be, 33.55.Be, 33.80.Ps, 39.10.+j Miniaturizing current carrying structures has proven to be a very successful strategy for atom optics [1,2]. Microfabricated wires on surfaces allow one to exert extremely high magnetic forces on atoms using only moderate currents. A variety of microfabricated atom optical elements such as mirrors [3], guides [4], conveyer belts, and traps [5] have been realized. The integration of many of these devices into one circuit offers novel and exciting possibilities for quantum computation and atom interferometry [6,7].Miniaturizing charge carrying structures to manipulate polar molecules is equally promising. Using microstructured electrodes large electric fields and large field gradients can be generated with only moderate voltages. The interaction of polar molecules with electric fields is orders of magnitude stronger than the interaction of atoms with magnetic fields, and one can easily construct potentials on the order of a Kelvin. This allows one to design microstructured electrodes to manipulate cold polar molecules as produced, for instance, via buffer gas loading [8], Stark deceleration [9], collisions [10], or photoassociation [11]. The rotational and vibrational degrees of freedom as well as the (anisotropic) dipole-dipole interaction of polar molecules offer novel possibilities for interferometry and quantum computation [12].In this Letter, we experimentally demonstrate a microstructured switchable mirror for polar molecules. It is well known that a planar array of equidistant electrodes with a voltage difference between adjacent electrodes produces an electric field that decays exponentially with the distance from the surface. Such an array can therefore be used as an electrostatic mirror for polar molecules in so-called low-field seeking quantum states [13]. The principle of an electrostatic mirror was first discussed by Gordon as a means to select slow molecules [14]. Later this geometry was discussed in much more detail by Opat and co-workers [15,16], who experimentally demonstrated an electrostatic mirror by reflecting a beam of chloromethane (CH 3 Cl) from it at grazing angles of incidence. In the experiments reported here we demonstrate reflection of a cold beam of state-selected polar molecules from a microstructured electrostatic mirror under normal incidence. The mirror consists of an interdigitated structure of 20 m wide gol...

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Microstructured Switchable Mirror for Polar Molecules

et al. 2004

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“…This allows to apply electric field of over 200 kV/mm over the 300 nm gaps between e-beam wires, creating extremely steep and localized potentials [13].…”

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Multilayer atom chips for versatile atom micromanipulation

Trinker¹,

Groth²,

Haslinger³

et al. 2008

Applied Physics Letters

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We employ a combination of optical UV-and electron-beam-lithography to create an atom chip combining sub-micron wire structures with larger conventional wires on a single substrate. The new multi-layer fabrication enables crossed wire configurations, greatly enhancing the flexibility in designing potentials for ultra cold quantum gases and Bose-Einstein condensates. Large current densities of > 6×10 7 A/cm 2 and high voltages of up to 65 V across 0.3 µm gaps are supported by even the smallest wire structures. We experimentally demonstrate the flexibility of the next generation atom chip by producing Bose-Einstein condensates in magnetic traps created by a combination of wires involving all different fabrication methods and structure sizes.

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“…V 0 was restricted to be about 100 µK or less. Such a trap depth has been achieved with an electric field even at the considerable height of 50 µm [32]. The physics of the focusing process is rather simple: In this example the external potential is switched on when the wave packet is over a region with a relatively small gradient and as time evolves the atoms are facing a hill.…”

Section: A Focusingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such an array, combined with a magnetic guide to create a potential barrier between the atoms and the surface, has been successfully employed [32]. The setup is such, that the wave packet travels along a one-dimensional (1D) magnetic wave guide over the array of electrodes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dynamic matter-wave pulse shaping

et al. 2010

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In this paper we discuss possibilities to manipulate a matter-wave with time-dependent potentials. Assuming a specific setup on an atom chip, we explore how one can focus, accelerate, reflect, and stop an atomic wave packet, with, for example, electric fields from an array of electrodes. We also utilize this method to initiate coherent splitting or an arbitrary wave form. Special emphasis is put on the robustness of the control schemes. We begin with the wave packet of a single atom, and extend this to a BEC, in the Gross-Pitaevskii picture. In analogy to laser pulse shaping with its wide variety of applications, we expect this work to form the base for more complex time-dependent potentials eventually leading to matter-wave pulse shaping with numerous applications.

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Trapping and Manipulating Neutral Atoms with Electrostatic Fields

Cited by 76 publications

References 23 publications

Microstructured Switchable Mirror for Polar Molecules

Microstructured Switchable Mirror for Polar Molecules

Multilayer atom chips for versatile atom micromanipulation

Dynamic matter-wave pulse shaping

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