Related papers: Blue-detuned molecular magneto-optical trap scheme…
We present experimental techniques and results related to the optimization and characterization of our nanofiber-based atom trap [Vetsch et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 203603 (2010)]. The atoms are confined in an optical lattice which is…
We propose and demonstrate a scheme for strongly radially confining a single neutral atom in a bichromatic far-off resonance optical dipole trap(BFORT) . BFORT is composed of a blue-detuned Laguerre-Gaussian $LG^1_ 0$ beam and a red-detuned…
We have successfully implemented the first simultaneous magneto-optical trapping (MOT) of lithium ($^6$Li) and ytterbium ($^{174}$Yb) atoms, towards production of ultracold polar molecules of LiYb. For this purpose, we developed the dual…
Nanophotonic traps for cold atoms typically have trap volumes that are orders of magnitude smaller than, e.g., free-space optical tweezers. This makes efficient loading of these traps challenging, thereby limiting the total number of atoms…
This communication describes the observation of a new type of dark spontaneous-force optical trap (dark SPOT) obtained without the use of a mask blocking the central part of the repumper laser beam. We observe that loading a magneto-optical…
Reaching high densities is a key step towards cold-collision experiments with polyatomic molecules. We use a cryofuge to load up to 2$\times10^7$ CH$_3$F molecules into a box-like electric trap, achieving densities up to 10$^7$/cm$^3$ at…
Laser cooling is fundamental to quantum computing and metrology using atomic systems. Precise control often requires cooling atoms' motional degrees of freedom to the quantum ground state, imposing operation time and architectural…
Dysprosium (Dy) is the most magnetic element on the periodic table, making it excellent for studying dipolar atom-atom interactions. We report on a simple Dy MOT that captures atoms directly from the thermal beam using a single diode-laser…
In the past, light-assisted cold collisions between laser cooled atoms have been widely studied in magneto-optical atom traps (MOTs). We describe here theoretical studies of dynamical interactions, specifically cold collisions, between…
We present a scheme for laser cooling and magneto-optical trapping of the Group IV (a.k.a. Group 14 or tetrel) atoms silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), and lead (Pb). These elements each possess a strong Type-II transition ($J…
In addition to being suitable for laser cooling and trapping in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) using a relatively broad ($\sim$5 MHz) transition, the molecule YO possesses a narrow-line transition. This forbidden transition between the…
Momentum-resolved scattering experiments with laser-cooled atomic targets have been performed since almost two decades with MOTRIMS (Magneto-Optical Trap Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy) setups. Compared to experiments with gas-jet…
We investigate cooling mechanisms in magneto-optically and magnetically trapped erbium. We find efficient sub-Doppler cooling in our trap, which can persist even in large magnetic fields due to the near degeneracy of two Lande g factors.…
The capture of a moving atom by a non-dissipative trap, such as an optical dipole trap, requires the removal of the excessive kinetic energy of the atom. In this article we develop a mechanism to harvest ultra cold atoms from a guided atom…
Optical trapping and manipulation of neutral particles has led to a variety of experiments from stretching DNA-molecules to trapping and cooling of neutral atoms. An exciting recent outgrowth of the technique is an experimental…
We study the Doppler-cooling of radial two-dimensional (2D) Coulomb crystals of trapped barium ions in a radiofrequency trap. Ions in radial 2D crystals experience micromotion of an amplitude that increases linearly with the distance from…
Ultracold dysprosium gases, with a magnetic moment ten times that of alkali atoms and equal only to terbium as the most magnetic atom, are expected to exhibit a multitude of fascinating collisional dynamics and quantum dipolar phases,…
A novel cesium (Cs) two-color magneto-optical trap (TC-MOT), which partially employs the optical radiation forces due to photon scattering of the 6P3/2 (F'=5) - 7S1/2 (F"=4) excited-state transition in the Cs 6S1/2 - 6P3/2 - 7S1/2 (852 +…
We demonstrate coherent microwave control of the rotational, hyperfine and Zeeman states of ultracold CaF molecules, and the magnetic trapping of these molecules in a single, selectable quantum state. We trap about $5\times 10^{3}$…
We have directly loaded a cryogenic beam of molybdenum atoms into a magneto-optical trap. By chirping the detuning of the trapping lasers, we were able to enhance the number of atoms loaded into the trap by more than a factor of two. We…