Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Self-similar Expansion Studies in Ultracold Neutral Plasmas

ORAL

Abstract

Ultracold Neutral Plasmas (UNP's) are created by photoionizing laser-cooled atoms; the resulting plasma expands due to the thermal pressure of the electrons. Powerful optical diagnostics are available to study these systems where the initial density profiles, energies, and ionization states are accurately known and controllable. Fluorescence imaging of UNP's produces a spatially-resolved spectrum that is Doppler-broadened due to thermal ion velocity and shifted due to ion expansion velocity. Using this technique, measurements of the ion kinetic energy and plasma size show that the expansion is self-similar, following an analytic solution of the Vlasov equations, the central equations in the kinetic theory of plasmas.

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Authors

  • Jose Castro

    Rice University

  • Edward Fry

    Institute for Astronomy, ETH, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Department of Physics, ETH, Texas A&M University, LANL, American Physical Society, Society of Physics Students National Office, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Universite d'Orleans, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Texas A\&M University, Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Rice University, University of Houston, Bucknell University, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, Department of Physics and MIC, Texas A\&M University, University of Texas at Arlington, Changwon National University, University of North Texas, Southwestern University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, The University of Texas at Arlington, TCU, ELTE, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Dept. of Physics, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Univ. of North Texas, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oswego State University of New York, Lee College, University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA-Professor, UNT, Sam Houston State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, Director of Education for NSF, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX 77005, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Edward Fry

    Institute for Astronomy, ETH, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Department of Physics, ETH, Texas A&M University, LANL, American Physical Society, Society of Physics Students National Office, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Universite d'Orleans, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Texas A\&M University, Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Rice University, University of Houston, Bucknell University, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, Department of Physics and MIC, Texas A\&M University, University of Texas at Arlington, Changwon National University, University of North Texas, Southwestern University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, The University of Texas at Arlington, TCU, ELTE, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Dept. of Physics, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Univ. of North Texas, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oswego State University of New York, Lee College, University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA-Professor, UNT, Sam Houston State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, Director of Education for NSF, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX 77005, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Edward Fry

    Institute for Astronomy, ETH, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Department of Physics, ETH, Texas A&M University, LANL, American Physical Society, Society of Physics Students National Office, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Universite d'Orleans, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Texas A\&M University, Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Rice University, University of Houston, Bucknell University, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, Department of Physics and MIC, Texas A\&M University, University of Texas at Arlington, Changwon National University, University of North Texas, Southwestern University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, The University of Texas at Arlington, TCU, ELTE, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Dept. of Physics, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Univ. of North Texas, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oswego State University of New York, Lee College, University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA-Professor, UNT, Sam Houston State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, Director of Education for NSF, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX 77005, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Edward Fry

    Institute for Astronomy, ETH, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Department of Physics, ETH, Texas A&M University, LANL, American Physical Society, Society of Physics Students National Office, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Universite d'Orleans, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Texas A\&M University, Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Rice University, University of Houston, Bucknell University, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, Department of Physics and MIC, Texas A\&M University, University of Texas at Arlington, Changwon National University, University of North Texas, Southwestern University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, The University of Texas at Arlington, TCU, ELTE, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Dept. of Physics, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Univ. of North Texas, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oswego State University of New York, Lee College, University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA-Professor, UNT, Sam Houston State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, Director of Education for NSF, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX 77005, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin

  • Edward Fry

    Institute for Astronomy, ETH, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Department of Physics, ETH, Texas A&M University, LANL, American Physical Society, Society of Physics Students National Office, Texas Tech University, University of Texas, Universite d'Orleans, Steward Observatory, University of Arizona, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Texas A\&M University, Institute for Quantum Electronics, ETH Zurich, Department of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Rice University, University of Houston, Bucknell University, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, Air Force Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, Department of Physics and MIC, Texas A\&M University, University of Texas at Arlington, Changwon National University, University of North Texas, Southwestern University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Dallas, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Naval Air Systems Command, Institute for Quantum Studies and Department of Physics, Texas A\&M University, College Station, TX 77843, The University of Texas at Arlington, TCU, ELTE, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX, Dept. of Physics, Texas A\&M University-Commerce, Univ. of North Texas, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oswego State University of New York, Lee College, University of Texas at San Antonio, UTSA-Professor, UNT, Sam Houston State University, Sewanee: The University of the South, Director of Education for NSF, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Sackler School of Chemistry, Tel-Aviv University, Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX 77005, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics, University of Texas at Austin