Production of dual species Bose–Einstein condensates of ~(39)K and ~(87)Rb

We report the production of~(39) K and~(87) Rb Bose–Einstein condensates(BECs) in the lowest hyperfine states |F =1, m_F = 1 simultaneously. We collect atoms in bright/dark magneto-optical traps(MOTs) of~(39) K/~(87) Rb to overcome the light-assisted losses of~(39) K atoms. Gray molasses cooling on the D1 line of the~(39) K is used to effectively increase the phase density, which improves the loading efficiency of~(39) K into the quadrupole magnetic trap. Simultaneously, the normal molasses is employed for~(87) Rb. After the microwave evaporation cooling on~(87) Rb in the optically plugged magnetic trap,the atoms mixture is transferred to a crossed optical dipole trap, where the collisional properties of the two species in different combinations of the hyperfine states are studied. The dual species BECs of~(39) K and~(87) Rb are obtained by further evaporative cooling in an optical dipole trap at a magnetic field of 372.6 G with the background repulsive interspecies scattering length a_(KRb)= 34 a_0(a_0 is the Bohr radius) and the intraspecies scattering length a_K= 20.05 a_0.     

~(87)Rb玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体的快速实验制备

采用二维磁光阱产生了-个快速~(87)Rb原子流,并在高真空的三维磁光阱中实现了~(87)Rb原子的快速俘获,进一步采用射频蒸发冷却技术实现了原子云的预冷却,然后将原子转移到远失谐的光学偶极阱中蒸发得到了玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体.实验上可以在25 s内完成三维磁光阱的装载(约1.0×10~(10)个~(87)Rb原子),然后经过16 s的冷却过程最终在光学偶极阱中获得5.0×10~5个原子的玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚体.实验重点研究了二维磁光阱的优化设计和采用蓝失谐大功率光束对四极磁阱零点的堵塞,抑制四极磁阱中原子的马约拉纳损耗,更加有效地对原子云进行预冷却.     

Experimental realization of two-dimensional single-layer ultracold gases of 87Rb in an accordion lattice

We experimentally realize two-dimensional (2D) single-layer ultracold gases of ⁸⁷Rb by dynamically tuning the periodicity of a standing wave, known as accordion lattice. In order to load ⁸⁷Rb Bose—Einstein condensate into single dark fringe node of the blue detuning optical lattice, we reduce the lattice periodicity from 26.7 μ to 3.5 μ with the help of an acousto-optic deflector (AOD) to compress the three-dimensional BEC adiabatically into a flat and uniform quasi-2D single-layer. We describe the experimental procedure of the atoms loading into the accordion lattice in detail and present the characteristics of the quasi-2D ultracold gases. This setup provides an important platform for studying in- and out-of equilibrium physics, phase transition and 2D topological matter.     

基于~(87)Rb原子的大失谐光晶格的设计与操控

提出了一种基于~(87)Rb原子的大失谐光学晶格的设计方案,详细介绍了光晶格光束的校准、频率失谐的调整以及光强输出的控制方式.在磁光阱和偏振梯度冷却的基础上,研究了光学晶格的总光强和频率失谐等参数对原子装载的影响,实现了光晶格中冷原子的绝热装载与卸载.通过光强调制的方法,测量了光晶格的振动频率.光晶格的引入,使得温度降低为原有的1/3.涉及的系统设计和结论对其他碱金属原子光晶格的实验设计具有参考价值.     

Improved atom number with a dual color magneto-optical trap

We demonstrate a novel dual color magneto–optical trap (MOT), which uses two sets of overlapping laser beams to cool and trap 87 Rb atoms. The volume of cold cloud in the dual color MOT is strongly dependent on the frequency difference of the laser beams and can be significantly larger than that in the normal MOT with single frequency MOT beams. Our experiment shows that the dual color MOT has the same loading rate as the normal MOT, but much longer loading time, leading to threefold increase in the number of trapped atoms. This indicates that the larger number is caused by reduced light induced loss. The dual color MOT is very useful in experiments where both high vacuum level and large atom number are required, such as single chamber quantum memory and Bose–Einstein condensation (BEC) experiments. Compared to the popular dark spontaneous-force optical trap (dark SPOT) technique, our approach is technically simpler and more suitable to low power laser systems.     

小型化锶光钟物理系统的研制

光钟物理系统的小型化是制约可搬运光钟及空间冷原子光钟发展的重要因素.主要介绍了小型化锶原子光钟物理系统的研制实验.采用真空腔内置反亥姆霍兹线圈,构建一个小电流、低功耗及小体积的磁光阱.实验中测得真空线圈通电电流仅为2 A时,磁光阱中心区域轴向磁场梯度可达到43 Gs/cm,完全满足锶原子多普勒冷却与俘获对磁场梯度的要求.目前已经成功将锶原子光钟物理系统体积缩小至60 cm×20 cm×15 cm,约为实验室原锶光钟物理系统体积的1/10,并且实现了锶原子的一级冷却,测得俘获区冷原子团的直径为1.5 mm,温度约为10.6 mK.锶同位素~(88)Sr和~(87)Sr的冷原子数目分别为1.6×10~6和1.5×10~5.重抽运激光707和679 nm的加入,消除了冷原子在~3P_2和~3P_0两能态上的堆积,最终可将冷原子数目提高5倍以上.     

Photoassociation spectra of ultracold ~(85)Rb_2 molecule in 0_u~+ long range state near the 5S_(1/2)+ 5P_(1/2) asymptote

We investigate the high resolution photoassociation spectra of ~(85)Rb_2 molecules in 0~+_u long range state below the(5S_(1/2)+ 5P_(1/2)) asymptote. The ~(85)Rb atomic samples are trapped in a dark magneto–optical trap(MOT) and prepared in the dark state. With the help of trap loss technique, we obtain considerable photoassociation spectroscopy with rovibrational resolution, some of which have never been observed before. The observed spectrum is fitted by a rigid rotation model, and the rotational constants of ultracold ~(85)Rb_2 molecule in long range 0~+_u are obtained for different vibrational states. By applying the Le Roy–Bernstein method, we assign the vibrational quantum numbers and derive C_3 coefficient, which is used to obtain the potential energy curve.     

Electromagnetically induced transparency in a Zeeman-sublevels Λ-system of cold ~(87)Rb atoms in free space

We report the experimental investigation of electromagnetically induced transparency(EIT) in a Zeeman-sublevelsΛ-type system of cold ~(87)Rb atoms in free space. We use the Zeeman substates of the hyperfine energy states 5~2S_(1/2), F = 2 and 5~2P_(3/2), F = 2 of ~(87)Rb D_2 line to form a Λ-type EIT scheme. The EIT signal is obtained by scanning the probe light over 1 MHz in 4 ms with an 80 MHz arbitrary waveform generator. More than 97% transparency and 100 k Hz EIT window are observed. This EIT scheme is suited for an application of pulsed coherent storage atom clock(Yan B, et al. 2009 Phys.Rev. A 79 063820).     

STUDY OF FARADAY ANOMALOUS DISPERSION SPECTRA OF THE HYPERFINE STRUCTURE OF Rb D2 LINES

Natural rubidium is a mixture of the two isotopes, ⁸⁵Rb and ⁸⁷Rb, the natural abundances of which are 72.2 and 27.8 percent, respectively. Taking into account their hyperfine structure, we have cal-culated the Faraday anomalous dispersion spectra (FADS)of Rb D₂ lines in different magnetic fields and observed them experimentally. The theoretical calculations are in good agreement with the experi-mental results. In this paper, we also discuss the results.     

Analytical solutions for a doubly driven two-level atom

We have deduced analytical solutions of an energy level diagram of the doubly driven/dressed atom for a two-level atom exposed to a strong near-resonant bichromatic laser field in a special case, i.e., the bichromatic field with frequencies ω1 and ω2, and Rabi frequencies ?1 and ?2, in which the first coupling field of ?1 acts on the bare atomic levels, and then the resulting singly dressed states are driven by the second coupling field of ?2, thus resulting in the doubly dressed atom.We have measured the probe absorption spectra of a doubly driven two-level atom. The system consists of 52S1/2, F= 2 and 5~2P_(3/2), F'= 3 states of ~(87)Rb atoms in a magneto-optical trap(MOT) as well as the cooling/trapping beams and an additional coupling field. As for the spectroscopic properties of the doubly driven two-level atom, theoretical analytical solutions are in general agreement with the experimental spectrum as a whole.     

Gamma decay of K levels

Electromagnetic transition rates between states in ⁴⁰K up to 2.6 MeV excitation were investigated. The reaction ³⁷Cl(, nγ)⁴⁰K was used for lifetime measurements with the DSAM, and the reaction ⁴⁰Ar(p, nγ)⁴⁰K for the derivation of spins and mixing ratios from angular distributions. The transition strengths between states of predominant particle-hole character are well described by a rather simple shell-model structure with empirical effective charges and moments.     

Investigation of ultracold atoms and molecules in a dark magneto-optical trap

In this paper,ultracold atoms and molecules in a dark magneto-optical trap(MOT) are studied via depumping the cesium cold atoms into the dark hyperfine ground state.The collision rate is reduced to 0.45s-1 and the density of the atoms is increased to 5.6×1011cm-3 when the fractional population of the atoms in the bright hyperfine ground state is as low as 0.15.The vibrational spectra of the ultracold cesium molecules are also studied in a standard MOT and in a dark MOT separately.The experimental results are analyzed by using the perturbative quantum approach.     

光学相位锁定激光在原子玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚中实现拉曼耦合

采用光学相位锁定环路技术将外腔反馈式半导体激光器锁定到与钛宝石激光器输出激光频率上. 锁定后两束激光的差频线宽从MHz降低到Hz量级, 同时两束激光的频率差可实现几百兆赫兹到7 GHz的精密调节. 锁定的两束激光作用在铷原子玻色-爱因斯坦凝聚的两个基态超精细态F=2, 1, 观测到在两个超精细态之间的拉曼跃迁. 该技术可用于超冷原子两个超精细态之间自旋轨道耦合.     

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF AC ZEEMAN EFFECT IN 87Rb ATOMIC FREQUENCY STANDARD

We have proved experimentally that the frequency shift formula of AC Zeeman effect presented by us is correct. In a ⁸⁷Rb atomic frequency standard we add a new microwave field which causes the frequency shift of O-O transition frequency of ⁸⁷Rb atomic ground state. This frequency shift as a function of frequency and power of the added microwave field is measured. The experimental results agree with theory.     

用于原子干涉仪实验的锂原子的塞曼减速与磁光囚禁

为了制备适于原子干涉仪实验的低温锂原子样品,开展了锂原子的塞曼减速及与磁光阱囚禁相关的实验研究.设计并实现了一种结构紧凑的腔体内冷式多级线圈叠加的塞曼减速器,将速度小于600 m/s的7Li原子减速到60 m/s,磁光阱装载速率为5×108/s,囚禁原子数目1×109个,原子团的最低温度约为220±30μK.研究了光学黏胶中7Li原子的寿命与囚禁光频率失谐量的关系.这些结果为进一步开展7Li原子亚多普勒冷却、光势阱蒸发冷却以及原子干涉仪实验奠定了基础.     

采用高信噪比电磁诱导透明谱测定~(85)Rb原子5D_(5/2)态的超精细相互作用常数

基于~(85)Rb原子5S1/2-5P3/2-5D_(5/2)阶梯型能级系统(780 nm+776 nm),利用高信噪比的电磁诱导透明谱对~(85)Rb原子5D_(5/2)态超精细分裂进行测量.其中,频率校准是通过位相型电光调制器和共焦法布里-珀罗腔共同实现的.通过测量~(85)Rb原子5D′5/2态(F′=5),(F′′=4)及(F′′=3)之间的超精细分裂,我们确定了~(85)Rb原子5D_(5/2)态的磁偶极超精细相互作用常数(A=-(2.222±0.019)MHz)和电四极超精细相互作用常数(B=(2.664±0.130)MHz).     

Raman sideband cooling of rubidium atoms in optical lattice

We develop a simple and practical scheme to apply sideband cooling to a cloud of rubidium atoms. A sample containing 4 × 10~(70) ~(87)Rb is trapped in a far red detuned optical lattice. Through optimizing the relevant parameters, i.e., laser detuning, magnetic field, polarization, and duration time, a temperature around 1.5 μK and phase space density close to 1/500 are achieved. Compared with polarization gradient cooling, the temperature decreases by around one order of magnitude. This technique could be used in high precision measurement such as atomic clocks and atom interferometer. It could also serve as a precooling means before evaporation cooling in a dipole trap, and may be a promising method of achieving quantum degeneracy with purely optical means.     

Laser frequency locking based on the normal and abnormal saturated absorption spectroscopy of ~(87)Rb

We present a practical method to avoid the mis-locking phenomenon in the saturated-absorption-spectrum laserfrequency-locking system and set up a simple theoretical model to explain the abnormal saturated absorption spectrum. The method uses the normal and abnormal saturated absorption spectra of the same transition 5~2S_(1/2), F = 2–5~2P_(3/2), F'= 3 saturated absorption of the ~(87)Rb D_2resonance line. After subtracting these two signals with the help of electronics, we can obtain a spectrum with a single peak to lock the laser. In our experiment, we use the normal and inverse signals of the transitions 5~2S_(1/2), F = 2–5~2P_(3/2), F'= 3 saturated absorption of the ~(87)Rb D_2 resonance line to lock a 780-nm distributed feedback(DFB) diode laser. This method improves the long-term locking performance and is suitable for other kinds of diode lasers.     

Natural activities of U, Th and K in some Indian building materials

The activity concentrations of ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K have been determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. The measured activity in the selected building materials ranges from (3.2 to 151.7 Bq/kg), 14 to 63.7 Bq/kg and 24.3 to 121.5 Bq/kg for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K respectively. The activity concentration of ²³⁸U has been determined using fission track technique and the value ranges from 0.11 to 3.85 ppm. The concentrations for these natural radionuclides are compared with the reported data from other countries. Radium-equivalent activities (Ra_eq) are calculated for the measured samples to assess the radiation hazards arising due to the use of these materials in the construction of dwellings. All building materials have shown Ra_eq activities lower than the limit set in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report (370 Bq/kg), equivalent to external gamma dose of 1.5 mSvyr⁻¹. A good correlation has been observed between ²³⁸U and ²²⁶Ra in these materials.     

中性汞原子磁光阱装载率的优化

量子投影噪声是影响光晶格钟的一个重要参数,提高磁光阱中装载率有利于降低量子投影噪声,可提升光晶格钟的性能.针对实验所用的汞原子单腔磁光阱,本文分析并计算了磁光阱中汞原子受力情况和一维运动规律,在此基础上用随机数方法对磁光阱中汞原子三维装载进行了数值计算,获得了磁光阱中的稳态原子数,研究了磁光阱的冷却激光的光强、失谐量以及磁场梯度等参数对稳态原子数的影响,得出了获得最优装载率的实验参数.涉及的计算方法和结论对汞原子光晶格钟的实验设计具有参考价值.