Hannover 2010 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 55: Poster II

Q 55.28: Poster

Thursday, March 11, 2010, 16:00–19:00, Lichthof

Atom Trap Trace Analysis of Argon 39 — •Florian Ritterbusch¹, Joachim Welte¹, Matthias Henrich¹, Werner Aeschbach-Hertig², and Markus K. Oberthaler¹ — ¹Kirchhoff-Institute, Heidelberg university — ²Institute for environmental physics, Heidelberg university

We present our work towards the realization of Atom Trap Trace Analysis for ³⁹Ar, a promising novel method for dating water from the past 50 to 1000 years. This ultra-sensitive detection method for rare isotopes is based on laser cooling mechanisms. We report on the first experimental determination of the hyperfine spectrum of the relevant cooling transition. Furthermore, a high intensity, optically collimated beam of metastable argon atoms has been set up and fluorescence detection of single ⁴⁰Ar atoms in a magneto-optical trap is realized. Having achieved these essential steps an ATTA table-top apparatus now becomes feasible.