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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
In Situ Magnetic Field Characterization With The Directional Hanle Effect, Jarom Silver Jackson
In Situ Magnetic Field Characterization With The Directional Hanle Effect, Jarom Silver Jackson
Theses and Dissertations
We present a novel method of in situ magnetic field mapping related to the Hanle effect. This method uses the change in spatial radiation pattern of scattered light, which we call a 'directional Hanle effect,' rather than the loss of polarization more commonly associated with the Hanle effect. It is particularly well suited for fields in a magneto-optical trap (MOT), requiring only the addition of a narrow slit and a camera to typical MOT components. The use of this method is demonstrated by measuring the gradient through, and location of, the zero-point of the field in our strontium MOT.
Towards Stronger Coulomb Coupling In An Ultracold Neutral Plasma, Mary Elizabeth Lyon
Towards Stronger Coulomb Coupling In An Ultracold Neutral Plasma, Mary Elizabeth Lyon
Theses and Dissertations
Ultracold neutral plasmas are created by photoionizing laser-cooled atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Due to their large electrical potential energies and comparatively small kinetic energies, ultracold plasmas fall into a regime of plasma systems which are called “strongly coupled.” A priority in the field of ultracold plasmas is to generate plasmas with higher values of the strong coupling parameter Γ, which is given as the ratio of the nearest-neighbor Coulomb potential energy to the average kinetic energy. The equilibrium strong coupling in ultracold plasmas is limited by the ultrafast relaxation of the ions due to spatial disorder in the …
Development Of A Strontium-87 Ion Interferometer, Christopher Joseph Erickson
Development Of A Strontium-87 Ion Interferometer, Christopher Joseph Erickson
Theses and Dissertations
I present the construction of a low-velocity intense source (LVIS) of laser-cooled neutral strontium using permanent ring magnets. The LVIS consists of a magneto-optical trap from which cold strontium is extracted in a well-collimated beam. I also present the development and implementation of a full suite of low-noise, high-bandwidth laser control electronics including a microcontroller unit. This microcontroller remotely controls and monitors the current driver, temperature controller, and PID lock circuit for each diode laser simultaneously. The current driver output is accurate to within 2 micro-amps and repeatable to with a few nano-amps. The noise spectral density of the current …
Two-Photon Ionization Of The Calcium 4s3d 1d2 Level In An Optical Dipole Trap, Jared Estus Daily
Two-Photon Ionization Of The Calcium 4s3d 1d2 Level In An Optical Dipole Trap, Jared Estus Daily
Theses and Dissertations
This thesis reports an optical dipole trap for atomic calcium. The dipole trap is loaded from a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of calcium atoms cooled near the Doppler limit (~1 mK). The dipole trap is formed by a large-frame argon ion laser focused to 20 microns into the center of the MOT. This laser runs single-line at 488 nm with a maximum power of 10.6 watts. These parameters result in a trap of 125 mK for calcium atoms in the 4s3d 1D2 state. The 488 nm light also photo-ionizes the trapped atoms due to a near-resonant transition to the 4s4f 1F3 …