Toward integrated atom interferometry: Guides, a beamsplitter and a switch.

摘要

We introduce several atom-optics devices and analyze some of their key properties. These devices are based on hollow fiber or magnetic-guiding technology and aimed toward future guided-atom interferometry. Well characterized atom optics devices hold great promise for future inertial and rotation measurements using guided-atom interferometers.; We demonstrate guiding of laser cooled and trapped atoms through hollow-core optical fibers using the evanescent-wave dipole force from blue-detuned laser light launched into the glass region of the fiber. We achieve a maximum flux through a 23.5-cm-long fiber of 590, 000 atom/s with a laser power of 55 mWatts at a detuning of 6 GHz. With large detunings of 40 GHz, spontaneous emission from the atoms inside the fiber can be suppressed and the atom's internal-state population is preserved. We identify two major loss mechanisms for the guiding process and discuss possible solutions.; We also guide laser-cooled neutral atoms via a magnetic field generated between two parallel wires on a glass substrate. Parallel currents in the wires generate a quadrupole field that guides weak-field seeking atoms along a one-dimensional magnetic field minimum. The atoms bend around three curves, each with a 15-cm radius of curvature, while traveling along a 10-cm-long track. A maximum flux of 2 × 106 atoms/s is achieved with a current density of 3 × 104 A/cm2 in the 100 × 100 μm-cross-section wires.; Using a similar magnetic guiding scheme we generate a multimode beamsplitter potential with two current-carrying wires in combination with an external transverse bias field. The initial beam of guided atoms can be split into two beams with a 50/50 splitting ratio.; We further demonstrate a magnetic waveguide structure that allows switching of neutral atoms between two guides. By selectively sending current through a particular set of wires, we select the desired output port of an incoming guided-atom beam. This devices utilizes two different guiding schemes to adiabatically manipulate the atom trajectory.