Hannover 2016 – scientific programme

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A: Fachverband Atomphysik

A 9: Ultra-cold atoms, ions and BEC (with Q)

A 9.44: Poster

Monday, February 29, 2016, 16:30–19:00, Empore Lichthof

High resolution ion imaging of cold atoms — •Markus Stecker, Hannah Schefzyk, Malte Reinschmidt, Andreas Günther, and József Fortágh — Physikalisches Institut, Universität Tübingen, Germany

Spatially resolved optical detection methods of cold atomic clouds are in general diffraction limited. In our novel approach we ionize atoms out of the cloud and image them via an ion optics with variable magnification up to 1000 and a spatial resolution above the optical diffraction limit. This allows the observation of trapped quantum gases with single atom sensitivity and high temporal and spatial resolution. In such a system, local statistic like temporal and spatial correlations can be studied, and global cloud properties or dynamical processes can be investigated.

We present the ion optics setup and the corresponding simulations, which show the theoretical limits of the system in terms of magnification and resolution. We also show the experimental implementation to an ultra-cold atom setup. The current ionization scheme uses a 480nm laser to ionize atoms out of a magneto-optical trap. In order to characterize the imaging quality, we imprint test structures with the ionization laser onto the MOT and analyze the generated ion patterns. Furthermore, we present the first steps to use this system for excitation and spatially resolved detection of Rydberg atoms.