Adam Libson

Stopping Supersonic Beams with a Series of Pulsed Electromagnetic Coils : An Atomic Coilgun

We report the stopping of an atomic beam, using a series of pulsed electromagnetic coils. We use a supersonic beam of metastable neon created in a gas discharge as a monochromatic source of paramagnetic atoms. A series of coils is fired in a timed sequence to bring the atoms to near rest, where they are detected on a microchannel plate. Applications to fundamental problems in physics and chemistry are discussed.

An atomic coilgun: using pulsed magnetic fields to slow a supersonic beam

We report the experimental demonstration of a novel method to slow atoms and molecules with permanent magnetic moments using pulsed magnetic fields. In our experiments, we observe the slowing of a supersonic beam of metastable neon from 461.0 ± 7.7 to 403 ± 16u2009mu2009s−1 in 18 stages, where the slowed peak is clearly separated from the initial distribution. This method has broad applications as it may easily be generalized, using seeding and entrainment into supersonic beams, to all paramagnetic atoms and molecules.

Towards magnetic slowing of atoms and molecules

We outline a method to slow paramagnetic atoms or molecules using pulsed magnetic fields. We also discuss the possibility of adiabatically slow trapped particles by decelerating a moving magnetic trap. We present numerical simulation results for the slowing and trapping of molecular oxygen.

Towards coherent control of supersonic beams: a new approach to atom optics

A supersonic beam of noble gas atoms is a source of unprecedented brightness.Anovelshortpulsesupersonicnozzleisdevelopedwithbeamintensity that is higher by at least an order of magnitude than other available sources. We showhowthisbeamcanbecoherentlyslowedandfocusedusingelasticreflection fromsinglecrystals.Simulationsshowbeamfluxesof10 11 atomss −1 atvelocities of 50ms −1 and temperatures of less than 20 µK in the longitudinal direction. Possible applications of this slow beam to the study of atom-surface interactions and atom interferometry are discussed.

Nanofabrication by magnetic focusing of supersonic beams

We present a new method for nanoscale atom lithography. We propose the use of a supersonic atomic beam, which provides an extremely high brightness and cold source of fast atoms. The atoms are to be focused onto a substrate using a thin magnetic film, into which apertures with widths on the order of 100xa0nm have been etched. Focused spot sizes near or below 10xa0nm, with focal lengths on the order of 10xa0μm, are predicted. Our method can be implemented in a highly parallel manner, enabling simultaneous fabrication of 106 identical elements, and it is applicable both to precision patterning of surfaces with metastable atomic beams and to direct deposition of material.