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Magnetic Microtraps for Cavity QED, Bose-Einstein Condensates, and Atom Optics

Citation

Lev, Benjamin Leonard (2006) Magnetic Microtraps for Cavity QED, Bose-Einstein Condensates, and Atom Optics. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/YP00-7Z87. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09202005-205733

Abstract

The system comprised of an atom strongly coupled to photons, known as cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), provides a rich experimental setting for quantum information processing, both in the implementation of quantum logic gates and in the development of quantum networks. Moreover, studies of cavity QED will help elucidate the dynamics of continuously observed open quantum systems with quantum-limited feedback.

To achieve these goals in cavity QED, a neutral atom must be tightly confined inside a high-finesse cavity with small mode volume for long periods of time. Microfabricated wires on a substrate---known as an atom chip---can create a sufficiently high-curvature magnetic potential to trap atoms in the Lamb-Dicke regime. We have recently integrated an optical fiber Fabry-Perot cavity with such a device. The microwires allow the on-chip collection and laser cooling of neutral atoms, and allow the magnetic waveguiding of these atoms to an Ioffe trap inside the cavity mode. Magnetically trapped intracavity atoms have been detected with this cavity QED system. A similar experiment employing microdisks and photonic bandgap cavities is nearing completion. With these more exotic cavities, a robust and scalable atom-cavity chip system will deeply probe the strong coupling regime of cavity QED with magnetically trapped atoms.

Atom chips have found great success in producing and manipulating Bose-Einstein condensates and in creating novel atom optical elements. An on-chip BEC has been attained in a miniaturized system incorporating an atom chip designed for atom interferometry and for studies of Josephson effects of a BEC in a double-well potential.

Using similar microfabrication techniques, we created and demonstrated a specular magnetic atom mirror formed from a standard computer hard drive. This device, in conjunction with micron-sized charged circular pads, can produce a 1-D ring trap which may prove useful for studying Tonks gases in a ring geometry and for creating devices such as a SQUID-like system for neutral atoms.

This thesis describes the fabrication and employment of these atoms chips in experiments at both Caltech and Munich, the latter in collaboration with Professors Theodore Haensch and Jakob Reichel at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics.

Item Type:Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))
Subject Keywords:Atom Chips; BECs; Cavity QED; Photonic Bandgap Cavities; Quantum Optics; Single Atoms
Degree Grantor:California Institute of Technology
Division:Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
Major Option:Physics
Awards:Everhart Distinguished Graduate Student Lecturer Award, 2005.
Thesis Availability:Public (worldwide access)
Research Advisor(s):
  • Mabuchi, Hideo
Thesis Committee:
  • Mabuchi, Hideo (chair)
  • Libbrecht, Kenneth George
  • Thorne, Kip S.
  • Painter, Oskar J.
Defense Date:15 September 2005
Non-Caltech Author Email:benlev (AT) stanford.edu
Record Number:CaltechETD:etd-09202005-205733
Persistent URL:https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09202005-205733
DOI:10.7907/YP00-7Z87
Default Usage Policy:No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.
ID Code:3658
Collection:CaltechTHESIS
Deposited By: Imported from ETD-db
Deposited On:22 Sep 2005
Last Modified:02 Apr 2020 21:41

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