Stuttgart 2012 – scientific programme

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 35: Poster 2

Q 35.56: Poster

Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 16:30–19:00, Poster.I+II

Towards simultaneous optical trapping of Ba⁺ ions and Rb atoms — •Michael Zugenmaier, Thomas Huber, Martin Enderlein, Christian Schneider, Magnus Albert, and Tobias Schätz — Albert-Ludwigs Universität Freiburg

In 2010 our group demonstrated the trapping of an Mg⁺ ion in an optical dipole trap [1]. The lifetime in the optical potential was limited by heating due to photon recoils out of the optical field.

We are designing a new setup to trap Ba⁺ ions and Rb atoms simultaneously in a far off-resonance dipole trap. The Rb atoms will be trapped in a MOT with a temperature in the µK regime. The Ba⁺ ions will be prepared in a RF trap. Then Ba⁺ and Rb will be transferred into the optical dipole trap. Using far detuned trapping lasers minimizes the photon scattering rate and will result in longer trapping durations. We expect that the Ba⁺ ions will be sympathetically cooled by the Rb atoms to low temperatures avoiding residual heating by RF-micromotion.

Trapping the ions and atoms in one common optical trap might allow to enter the regime of ultracold chemistry, where quantum phenomena are predicted to dominate.

[1] Ch. Schneider et al., Nat. Phot. 4, 772-775 (2010)