Atomtronic Matter-Wave Optics

TL;DR

This paper introduces atom-optics techniques for manipulating matterwaves in compact ring-shaped waveguides, enabling precise control of ultra-cold atoms for quantum sensing applications with significantly reduced spatial requirements.

Contribution

It presents a novel method for atom-optic manipulation of matterwaves in small ring-shaped waveguides, including delta-kick cooling of BECs, advancing atomtronic quantum sensor development.

Findings

Reduced BEC expansion energy by a factor of 34 using delta-kick cooling

Demonstrated matterwave collimation and focusing in a 485 μm radius ring

Achieved control of matterwaves in a compact setup suitable for quantum sensors

Abstract

Matterwaves made up of ultra-cold quantum-degenerate atoms have enabled the creation of tools having unprecedented sensitivity and precision in measuring gravity, rotation or magnetic fields. Applications range from gravitational wave detection and tests of Einstein's equivalence principle to inertial sensing for navigation and gravitational gradient sensing for oil and mineral exploration. In this letter, we introduce atom-optics as a novel tool of manipulating matterwaves in ring-shaped coherent waveguides. We collimate and focus matterwaves derived from Bose-Einstein Condensates (BECs) and ultra-cold thermal atoms in ring-shaped time-averaged adiabatic potentials. We demonstrate `delta-kick cooling' of BECs, reducing their expansion energies by a factor of 34. The atomtronic waveguide ring has a radius of only $485\,\mu m$, compared to other state-of-the-art experiments requiring zero gravity or chambers of ten meter. This level of control with extremely reduced spatial requirements is an important step towards atomtronic quantum sensors.