Linear Atom Guides: Guiding Rydberg Atoms and Progress Toward an Atom Laser.

Abstract

In this thesis, I explore a variety of experiments within linear, two-wire, magnetic atom guides. Experiments include guiding of Rydberg atoms; transferring between states while keeping the atoms contained within the guide; and designing, constructing, and testing a new experimental apparatus. The ultimate goal of the atom guiding experiments is to develop a continuous atom laser.

The guiding of Rydberg atoms is demonstrated. The evolution of the atoms is driven by the combined effects of dipole forces acting on the center-of-mass degree of freedom as well as internal-state transitions. Time delayed microwave and state-selective field ionization are used to investigate the evolution of the internal-state distribution as well as the Rydberg atom motion while traversing the guide. The observed decay time of the guided-atom signal is about five times that of the initial state. A population transfer between Rydberg states contributes to this lengthened lifetime, and also broadens the observed field ionization spectrum.

Transfer from one guided ground state to another is studied. In our setup, before the atoms enter the guide, they are pumped into the $|F=1, m_F=-1rangle$ state. Using two repumpers, one tuned to the $F=1rightarrow F'=0$ transition and the other tuned to the $F=1rightarrow F'=2$ transition, the atoms are pumped between these guided states. Magnetic reflections within the guide are also studied.

Design and construction of a new linear magnetic atom guide is detailed. This guide~$beta$ has many improvements over the original guide~$alpha$: a Zeeman slower, magnetic injection, a physical shutter, and surface adsorption evaporative cooling are some of the main changes. Testing of this new system is underway. It is hoped that the improvements to guide~$beta$ will yield an atom density sufficient to reach degeneracy, thereby forming a continuous BEC at the end of the guide. The BEC, which will be continuously replenished by the atoms within the guide, will be outcoupled to form a continuous atom laser.