Impact of the Meissner effect on magnetic micro traps for neutral atoms near superconducting thin films

TL;DR

This paper theoretically investigates how the Meissner effect influences magnetic micro traps for neutral atoms near superconducting thin films, highlighting changes in trap properties and the importance of considering superconductivity effects in experimental designs.

Contribution

It provides a detailed theoretical analysis of the Meissner effect's impact on magnetic traps, including simulations comparing superconducting and normal conducting states.

Findings

Superconducting wires create shallower micro traps than normal conductors.

The Meissner effect alters trap position and oscillation frequencies at close distances.

Accounting for the Meissner effect is crucial in designing atom chip experiments.

Abstract

We theoretically evaluate changes in the magnetic potential arising from the magnetic field near superconducting thin films. An example of an atom chip based on a three-wire configuration has been simulated in the superconducting and the normal conducting state. Inhomogeneous current densities within the superconducting wires were calculated using an energy-minimization routine based on the London theory. The Meissner effect causes changes to both trap position and oscillation frequencies at short distances from the superconducting surface. Superconducting wires produce much shallower micro traps than normal conducting wires. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the importance of taking the Meissner effect into account when designing and carrying out experiments on magnetically trapped neutral atoms near superconducting surfaces.