One dimensional lattice of permanent magnetic microtraps for ultracold atoms on an atom chip

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the successful loading and trapping of ultracold atoms in a one-dimensional permanent magnetic lattice on an atom chip, achieving high trap frequencies and short atom-surface distances, advancing quantum coherence studies.

Contribution

It introduces a novel fabrication of a 10-micron period magnetic lattice on an atom chip and details the trapping of ultracold atoms with high trap frequencies and short surface distances.

Findings

Trap frequencies up to 90 kHz achieved

Atoms trapped within 5 microns of surface

Atom lifetime in lattice approximately 450 ms

Abstract

We report on the loading and trapping of ultracold atoms in a one dimensional permanent magnetic lattice of period 10 micron produced on an atom chip. The grooved structure which generates the magnetic lattice potential is fabricated on a silicon substrate and coated with a perpendicularly magnetized multilayered TbGdFeCo/Cr film of effective thickness 960 nm. Ultracold atoms are evaporatively cooled in a Z-wire magnetic trap and then adiabatically transferred to the magnetic lattice potential by applying an appropriate bias field. Under our experimental conditions trap frequencies of up to 90 kHz in the magnetic lattice are measured and the atoms are trapped at a distance of less than 5 micron from the surface with a measured lifetime of about 450 ms. These results are important in the context of studies of quantum coherence of neutral atoms in periodic magnetic potentials on an atom chip.