Ion detection in the photoionization of a Rb Bose-Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This study investigates ion detection during two-photon ionization of Rubidium atoms in a BEC, achieving high detection efficiency with short laser pulses in a setup suitable for optical access.

Contribution

It demonstrates effective ion detection from a BEC using 100 ns laser pulses and a quartz cell with external electrodes, enabling potential applications in quantum experiments.

Findings

Single-ion detection efficiency of 35(10)%

Successful ionization of Rubidium BEC with short laser pulses

Use of a quartz cell with external electrodes for optical access

Abstract

Two-photon ionization of Rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap and a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is experimentally investigated. Using 100 ns laser pulses, we detect single ions photoionized from the condenstate with a 35(10)% efficiency. The measurements are performed using a quartz cell with external electrodes, allowing large optical access for BECs and optical lattices.