Nanowire atomchip traps for sub-micron atom-surface distances

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the physical limitations and potential of nanowire-based magnetic traps for ultracold atoms at sub-micron distances, highlighting their feasibility for advanced quantum optics applications.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the effects of surface proximity on nanowire atom traps and demonstrates the possibility of achieving trap sizes comparable to the de Broglie wavelength.

Findings

Nanowire traps can operate effectively at sub-micron scales.

Surface effects like tunneling and Casimir-Polder forces impact trap stability.

Miniaturized wires enable coherent atom optics with static magnetic fields.

Abstract

We present an analysis of magnetic traps for ultracold atoms based on current-carrying wires with sub-micron dimensions. We analyze the physical limitations of these conducting wires, as well as how such miniaturized magnetic traps are affected by the nearby surface due to tunneling to the surface, surface thermal noise, electron scattering within the wire, and the Casimir-Polder force. We show that wires with cross sections as small as a few tens of nanometers should enable robust operating conditions for coherent atom optics (e.g. tunneling barriers for interferometry). In particular, trap sizes on the order of the deBroglie wavelength become accessible, based solely on static magnetic fields, thereby bringing the atomchip a step closer to fulfilling its promise of a compact device for complex and accurate quantum optics with ultracold atoms.