Atom chips with free-standing two-dimensional electron gases: advantages and challenges

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of free-standing two-dimensional electron gases in atom chips for trapping ultracold atoms, highlighting advantages in proximity and control, while addressing associated challenges.

Contribution

It provides calculations of trapping parameters and discusses how 2DEGs can enhance atom chip performance and enable novel quantum sensing applications.

Findings

High-mobility 2DEGs enable sub-micron atom trapping.

Atomic gases can probe semiconductor device properties.

Advantages include improved control and sensitivity in atom trapping.

Abstract

In this work we consider the advantages and challenges of using free-standing two-dimensional electron gases (2DEG) as active components in atom chips for manipulating ultracold ensembles of alkali atoms. We calculate trapping parameters achievable with typical high-mobility 2DEGs in an atom chip configuration, and identify advantages of this system for trapping atoms at sub-micron distances from the atom chip. We show how the sensitivity of atomic gases to magnetic field inhomogeneity can be exploited for controlling the atoms with quantum electronic devices and, conversely, using the atoms to probe the structural and transport properties of semiconductor devices.