Long Distance Transport of Ultracold Atoms using a 1D optical lattice

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the horizontal transport of ultracold atoms over 20 cm using a moving 1D optical lattice formed by an optical Bessel beam, achieving high velocities and precise momentum control for potential collision experiments.

Contribution

It introduces a method for long-distance ultracold atom transport with homogeneous trapping and high kinetic energy resolution using a Bessel beam-based optical lattice.

Findings

Transport distance up to 20 cm achieved

Velocities up to 6 m/s demonstrated

Momentum uncertainty less than one photon recoil

Abstract

We study the horizontal transport of ultracold atoms over macroscopic distances of up to 20 cm with a moving 1D optical lattice. By using an optical Bessel beam to form the optical lattice, we can achieve nearly homogeneous trapping conditions over the full transport length, which is crucial in order to hold the atoms against gravity for such a wide range. Fast transport velocities of up to 6 m/s (corresponding to about 1100 photon recoils) and accelerations of up to 2600 m/s2 are reached. Even at high velocities the momentum of the atoms is precisely defined with an uncertainty of less than one photon recoil. This allows for construction of an atom catapult with high kinetic energy resolution, which might have applications in novel collision experiments.