A laser based accelerator for ultracold atoms

TL;DR

This paper introduces a laser-based accelerator for ultracold atoms, demonstrating confinement and acceleration of rubidium atoms using laser tweezers, with potential for extension to other atomic species.

Contribution

The authors present the first implementation of a laser-based accelerator for ultracold atoms, showcasing confinement, acceleration, and direct observation of atomic scattering.

Findings

Atoms cooled to 420 nK were confined and accelerated.

Atomic scattering was directly observed via laser absorption imaging.

The scheme is adaptable to various atomic species.

Abstract

We present first results on our implementation of a laser based accelerator for ultracold atoms. Atoms cooled to a temperature of 420 nK are confined and accelerated by means of laser tweezer beams and the atomic scattering is directly observed in laser absorption imaging. The optical collider has been characterized using Rb87 atoms in the |F=2,mF=2> state, but the scheme is not restricted to atoms in any particular magnetic substates and can readily be extended to other atomic species as well.