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Identifier

000383953

Title

An ultra-high flux matter-wave laser from a highly flexible Ioffe-Pritchard trap

Alternative Title

Λέιζερ υλικών κυμάτων εξαιρετικά μεγάλης ροής που προκύπτουν από μια άκρως ευέλικτη Ioffe-Pritchard μαγνητική παγίδα

Author

Μπόλπαση, Βασιλική

Thesis advisor

Ρακιτζής, Πέτρος

Abstract

As the optical lasers are sources of coherent photons, the atom lasers are sources of coherent matterwaves. The methods used for the production of the atom lasers pose constraints thus limiting the maximal flux. Aim of this thesis is the application of a novel method that removes those constraints and leads to atom lasers with much higher fluxes. This method is based on a strong rf field, with which we can transfer adiabatically all the atoms of the BEC to the atom laser and thus achieve higher fluxes. In order to do that, we built a setup that can produce BECs with a large number of atoms. Key point of the setup is the novel magnetic trap that for a given power gives much higher gradients with respect to the traditional Ioffe-Pritchard trap. Furthermore, emphasis was given on the laser system, since it is a complicated system with superior characteristics (multi frequency with fine tuning, narrow linewidth and high power). The result was a setup able to give relatively large BECs, with atom number around 106. During the experimene, and after we have precooled the atoms using optical and magnetooptical methods, we transfer them to the magnetic trap where we apply the strong rf. For high rf frequencies, the trap feels no change. As we lower the frequency, the trap depth decreases and the most energetic atoms escape from the trap. Like that the mean temperature decreases until BEC occurs. If we decrease the frequency even further, when the trap depth reaches the chemical potential, an atom laser emerges. What is important about this method, is that all the atoms enter the atom laser beam, and thus higher fluxes are achieved. We managed like that to produce atom lasers with fluxes 7 times higher than with the traditional methods.

Language

English

Subject

Bose-Einstein condensation

Cold atoms

Laser cooling

Magnetic trapping of neutral atoms

Matter-wave laser

Λέιζερ υλικών κυμάτων

Μαγνητική παγίδευση ουδέτερων ατόμων

Συμπύκνωση Bose-Einstein

Ψυχρά άτομα