English

Matter wave lensing to picokelvin temperatures

Atomic Physics 2015-04-13 v2

Abstract

Using a matter wave lens and a long time-of-flight, we cool an ensemble of Rb-87 atoms in two dimensions to an effective temperature of less than 5030+5050^{+50}_{-30}~pK. A short pulse of red-detuned light generates an optical dipole force that collimates the ensemble. We also report a three-dimensional magnetic lens that substantially reduces the chemical potential of evaporatively cooled ensembles with high atom number. By observing such low temperatures, we set limits on proposed modifications to quantum mechanics in the macroscopic regime. These cooling techniques yield bright, collimated sources for precision atom interferometry.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1407.6995,
  title  = {Matter wave lensing to picokelvin temperatures},
  author = {Tim Kovachy and Jason M. Hogan and Alex Sugarbaker and Susannah M. Dickerson and Christine A. Donnelly and Chris Overstreet and Mark A. Kasevich},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1407.6995},
  year   = {2015}
}

Comments

5 pagers, 5 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-22T05:13:31.757Z