Experiments on a videotape atom chip: fragmentation and transport studies

TL;DR

This study investigates magnetic trapping of ultra-cold rubidium atoms using videotape-based atom chips, analyzing potential roughness and demonstrating a new atom transport method over centimeter scales.

Contribution

The paper introduces a novel transport mechanism for cold atoms on videotape atom chips and characterizes magnetic potential roughness near the chip surface.

Findings

Potential roughness characterized at microKelvin temperatures

Successful conveyance of cold atoms over ~1 cm distances

Identification of magnetic inhomogeneities affecting trapping

Abstract

This paper reports on experiments with ultra-cold rubidium atoms confined in microscopic magnetic traps created using a piece of periodically-magnetized videotape mounted on an atom chip. The roughness of the confining potential is studied with atomic clouds at temperatures of a few microKelvin and at distances between 30 and 80 microns from the videotape-chip surface. The inhomogeneities in the magnetic field created by the magnetized videotape close to the central region of the chip are characterized in this way. In addition, we demonstrate a novel transport mechanism whereby we convey cold atoms confined in arrays of videotape magnetic micro-traps over distances as large as ~ 1 cm parallel to the chip surface. This conveying mechanism enables us to survey the surface of the chip and observe potential-roughness effects across different regions.