Atomic reflection off conductor walls as a tool in cold atom traps

M. Al-Amri; M. Babiker

doi:10.1140/epjd/e2008-00116-1

Atomic reflection off conductor walls as a tool in cold atom traps

M. Al-Amri, M. Babiker

Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

We explain why a system of cold Rb-85 atoms at temperatures of the order T approximate to 7.78x 10 K-5 and below, but not too low to lie in the quantum reflection regime, should be automatically repelled from the surface of a conductor without the need of an evanescent field, as in a typical atom mirror, to counteract the van der Waals attraction. The repulsive potential arises naturally outside the conductor and is effective at distances from the conductor surface of about 400 nm, intermediate between the van der Waals and the Casimir-Polder regions of variation. We propose that such a field-free reflection capability should be useful as a component in cold atom traps. It should be practically free of undesirable field fluctuations and would be operative at distances for which surface roughness, dissipative effects and other finite conductivity effects should be negligibly small.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	417-421
Number of pages	5
Journal	EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL D
Volume	48
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2008-00116-1
Publication status	Published - Jul 2008

Keywords

LONG-RANGE INTERACTIONS
METASTABLE NEON ATOMS
DER-WAALS FORCE
EVANESCENT-WAVE
QUANTUM REFLECTION
MIRRORS
SURFACE
GUIDE

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10.1140/epjd/e2008-00116-1

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abstract = "We explain why a system of cold Rb-85 atoms at temperatures of the order T approximate to 7.78x 10 K-5 and below, but not too low to lie in the quantum reflection regime, should be automatically repelled from the surface of a conductor without the need of an evanescent field, as in a typical atom mirror, to counteract the van der Waals attraction. The repulsive potential arises naturally outside the conductor and is effective at distances from the conductor surface of about 400 nm, intermediate between the van der Waals and the Casimir-Polder regions of variation. We propose that such a field-free reflection capability should be useful as a component in cold atom traps. It should be practically free of undesirable field fluctuations and would be operative at distances for which surface roughness, dissipative effects and other finite conductivity effects should be negligibly small.",

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AU - Babiker, M.

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AB - We explain why a system of cold Rb-85 atoms at temperatures of the order T approximate to 7.78x 10 K-5 and below, but not too low to lie in the quantum reflection regime, should be automatically repelled from the surface of a conductor without the need of an evanescent field, as in a typical atom mirror, to counteract the van der Waals attraction. The repulsive potential arises naturally outside the conductor and is effective at distances from the conductor surface of about 400 nm, intermediate between the van der Waals and the Casimir-Polder regions of variation. We propose that such a field-free reflection capability should be useful as a component in cold atom traps. It should be practically free of undesirable field fluctuations and would be operative at distances for which surface roughness, dissipative effects and other finite conductivity effects should be negligibly small.

KW - LONG-RANGE INTERACTIONS

KW - METASTABLE NEON ATOMS

KW - DER-WAALS FORCE

KW - EVANESCENT-WAVE

KW - QUANTUM REFLECTION

KW - MIRRORS

KW - SURFACE

KW - GUIDE

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JO - EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL D

JF - EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL D

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Atomic reflection off conductor walls as a tool in cold atom traps

Abstract

Keywords

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