Design and Characterization of a Field-Switchable Nanomagnetic Atom Mirror

TL;DR

This paper introduces a switchable nanomagnetic atom mirror using an array of domain walls in nanowires, optimized through modeling and characterized experimentally, enabling controlled reflection of cold atoms.

Contribution

The work presents a novel design for a nanomagnetic atom mirror with switchable properties, combining analytical modeling, fabrication, and experimental characterization.

Findings

The domain wall array's magnetic field can be optimized for maximum reflectivity.

The mirror's switching capability is demonstrated through experimental techniques.

Modeling shows suitability for cold atom interaction studies.

Abstract

We present a design for a switchable nanomagnetic atom mirror formed by an array of 180{\deg} domain walls confined within Ni80Fe20 planar nanowires. A simple analytical model is developed which allows the magnetic field produced by the domain wall array to be calculated. This model is then used to optimize the geometry of the nanowires so as to maximize the reflectivity of the atom mirror. We then describe the fabrication of a nanowire array and characterize its magnetic behavior using magneto-optic Kerr effect magnetometry, scanning Hall probe microscopy and micromagnetic simulations, demonstrating how the mobility of the domain walls allow the atom mirror to be switched "on" and "off" in a manner which would be impossible for conventional designs. Finally, we model the reflection of 87Rb atoms from the atom mirror's surface, showing that our design is well suited for investigating interactions between domain walls and cold atoms.