Trapping Ultracold Atoms in a Time-Averaged Adiabatic Potential

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new method for trapping ultracold atoms using a time-averaged adiabatic potential, enabling flexible geometries and successful Bose-Einstein condensation.

Contribution

First experimental realization of ultracold atoms confined in a time-averaged, adiabatic potential (TAAP) with tunable trapping geometries.

Findings

Achieved Bose-Einstein condensation of 5×10^4 Rb-87 atoms.

Observed condensate lifetimes exceeding 3 seconds.

Demonstrated flexible trapping geometries using TAAP.

Abstract

We report the first experimental realization of ultracold atoms confined in a time-averaged, adiabatic potential (TAAP). This novel trapping technique involves using a slowly oscillating ($\sim$ kHz) bias field to time-average the instantaneous potential given by dressing a bare magnetic potential with a high frequency ($\sim$ MHz) magnetic field. The resultant potentials provide a convenient route to a variety of trapping geometries with tunable parameters. We demonstrate the TAAP trap in a standard time-averaged orbiting potential trap with additional Helmholtz coils for the introduction of the radio frequency dressing field. We have evaporatively cooled 5 $\times 10^4$ atoms of $^{87}$Rb to quantum degeneracy and observed condensate lifetimes of over \unit[3]{s}.-