Related papers: Light-shift tomography in an optical-dipole trap f…
We describe an atom trapping mechanism based upon differential optical pumping between metastable hyperfine states by partially-displaced laser beams in the absence of a magnetic field. With realistic laser powers, trap spring constants…
We have measured the AC-Stark shift of the $14D_{5/2}$ Rydberg state of rubidium 87 in an optical dipole trap formed by a focussed CO$_2$-laser. We find good quantitative agreement with the model of a free electron experiencing a…
The optical properties of randomly positioned, resonant scatterers is a fundamentally difficult problem to address across a wide range of densities and geometries. We investigate it experimentally using a dense cloud of rubidium atoms…
A single atom strongly coupled to a cavity mode is stored by three-dimensional confinement in blue-detuned cavity modes of different longitudinal and transverse order. The vanishing light intensity at the trap center reduces the light shift…
We demonstrate runaway evaporative cooling directly with a tightly confining optical dipole trap and achieve fast production of condensates of 1.5x10^5 87Rb atoms. Our scheme is characterized by an independent control of the optical trap…
We present a novel optical cooling scheme that relies on hyperfine dark states to enhance loading and cooling atoms inside deep optical dipole traps. We demonstrate a seven-fold increase in the number of atoms loaded in the conservative…
We demonstrate the first guiding of cold atoms through a 88 mm long piece of photonic band gap fiber. The guiding potential is created by a far-off resonance dipole trap propagating inside the fiber with a hollow core of 12 mu m. We load…
The absolute photodetachment cross section of OH- anions at a rotational and translational temperature of 170K is determined by measuring the detachment-induced decay rate of the anions in a multipole radio-frequency ion trap. In comparison…
We propose an optical dipole trap for cold neutral atoms based on the electric field produced from the evanescent fields in a hollow rectangular slot cut through an optical nanofibre. In particular, we discuss the trap performance in…
We consider a laser cooling and trapping of alkaline-earth and similar atoms in a bichromatic field resonant to a closed optical transition $^1S_0 \to \, ^1P_1$ or $^1S_0 \to \, ^3P_1$. It is shown that new kinetic effects emerge compared…
We report on an efficient production scheme for a large quantum degenerate sample of fermionic lithium. The approach is based on our previous work on narrow-line $ 2S_{1/2}\rightarrow 3P_{3/2} $ laser cooling resulting in a high phase-space…
We report here measurements on a dark magneto-optical trap (DMOT) of $^{85}$Rb atoms using an optical nanofibre (ONF) with a waist of $\sim$~1 $\mu$m. The DMOT is created using a doughnut-shaped repump beam along with a depump beam for…
We report on photo ionization of ultracold magnetically trapped Rb atoms on an atom chip. The atoms are trapped at 5 $\mu $K in a strongly anisotropic trap. Through a hole in the chip with a diameter of 150 $\mu $m two laser beams are…
We present a combined computational and experimental study to optimize the efficiency of evaporative cooling for atoms in optical dipole traps. By employing a kinetic model of evaporation, we provide a strategy for determining the optimal…
We report measurements on the guiding of cold $^{87}$Rb atoms from a magneto-optical trap by a continuous light beam over a vertical distance of 6.5 mm. For moderate laser power ($<$85 mW) we are able to capture around 40% of the cold…
We demonstrate a combined magneto-optical trap and imaging system that is suitable for the investigation of cold atoms near surfaces. In particular, we are able to trap atoms close to optically scattering surfaces and to image them with an…
We propose a novel approach to the important fundamental problem of detecting weak optical fields at the few photon level. The ability to detect with high efficiency (>99%), and to distinguish the number of photons in a given time interval…
We present the properties and advantages of a new magneto-optical trap (MOT) where blue-detuned light drives `type-II' transitions that have dark ground states. Using $^{87}$Rb, we reach a radiation-pressure-limited density exceeding…
We present a laser beam shaping method using acousto-optic deflection of light and discuss its application to dipole trapping of ultracold atoms. By driving the acousto-optic deflector with multiple frequencies, we generate an array of…
We demonstrate a technique for transferring $^{226}$Ra atoms from a 3-dimensional magneto-optical-trap (MOT) into a standing wave optical dipole trap (ODT) in an adjacent chamber. The resulting small trapping volume (120 $\mu$m in diameter)…