Date Awarded
2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Department
Physics
Advisor
Seth Aubin
Abstract
In this dissertation we study the development of microwave and RF near-field potentials for use with atom chip trapped atomic gases. These potentials are inherently spin-dependent, able to target individual spin states simultaneously. In contrast with traditional atom chip potentials, these RF traps can be operated at arbitrary bias magnetic field strengths and thus be combined with magnetic Feshbach resonances. Furthermore, these potentials can strongly suppress the potential roughness that plagues traditional atom chip potentials. We present a dual chamber atom chip apparatus for generating ultracold 87Rb and 39K atomic gases. The apparatus produces quasi-pure Bose-Einstein condensates of 104 87Rb atoms in an atom chip trap that features a dimple and good optical access. We have also demonstrated production of ultracold 39K and subsequent loading into the chip trap. We describe the details of the dual chamber vacuum system, the cooling lasers, the magnetic trap, the multi coil magnetic transport system, and the atom chip. The apparatus is well suited for studies of atom-surface forces, quantum pumping and transport experiments, atom interferometry, novel chip-based traps, and studies of one-dimensional many-body systems.
DOI
https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-rejy-4083
Rights
© The Author
Recommended Citation
Ziltz, Austin R., "Ultracold rubidium and potassium system for atom chip-based microwave and RF potentials" (2015). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. William & Mary. Paper 1539624008.
https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-rejy-4083
