Mixing of ultracold atomic clouds by merging of two magnetic traps

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method for mixing ultracold atomic clouds by merging magnetic traps, avoiding the need for a two-species magneto-optical trap, and demonstrates its effectiveness with rubidium-87 atoms.

Contribution

The authors introduce a trap-merging technique for ultracold atoms that minimizes atom loss and heating, providing a new approach for creating quantum gas mixtures.

Findings

Mixing can be achieved with minimal atom loss and heating.

Classical simulations accurately model the mixing process.

Method is potentially applicable to different atomic species.

Abstract

We demonstrate a method to make mixtures of ultracold atoms that does not make use of a two-species magneto-optical trap. We prepare two clouds of 87Rb atoms in distinct magnetic quadrupole traps and mix the two clouds by merging the traps. For correctly chosen parameters the mixing can be done essentially without loss of atoms and with only minor heating. The basic features of the process can be accounted for by a classical simulation of particle trajectories. Such calculations indicate that mixing of different mass species is also feasible, opening the way for using the method as a starting point for making quantum gas mixtures.