Slowing and Stopping Supersonic Beams with an Atomic Coilgun

ORAL

Abstract

We report the stopping of a supersonic beam of metastable neon using an atomic coilgun. The coilgun relies on the Zeeman effect, and uses pulsed magnetic fields of up to 5.2 T to bring atoms from 446 m/s to near rest. Additionally, we have implemented the coilgun to slow a supersonic beam of molecular oxygen from 458 m/s to 238 m/s. This method can be applied to stop and trap any paramagnetic atom or molecule. Future applications will be discussed.

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Authors

  • Adam Libson

    Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Edvardas Narevicius

    University of Texas at Austin, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Christian G. Parthey

    Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Isaac Chavez

    Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Julia Narevicius

    Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Uzi Even

    Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv University

  • Mark Raizen

    Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin, University of Texas at Austin