Freiburg 2024 – scientific programme
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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik
Q 23: Poster I
Q 23.50: Poster
Tuesday, March 12, 2024, 17:00–19:00, Tent B
Bridging Quantum Optics and Environmental Physics: Insights into Argon Trap Trace Analysis — •Magdalena Winkelvoß and Alexandra Beikert — Kirchhoffinstitut für Physik Heidelberg
Tracer experiments are an important tool to understand environmental transport processes. A particularly widely used class of tracers are radioactive isotopes, which can be used for dating. 39Ar has a half life of 268 years making it suitable for the time range of 50 to 1000 years and dating processes like ocean circulation or glacier flow. But as the relative abundance of 39Ar is in the range of 10−16, a ultra sensitive and selective detection method is required. This can be done by Argon Trap Trace Analysis (ArTTA), by capturing single 39Ar atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Here, the slight difference in excitation frequencies between the different isotopes is exploited. In combination with the high number of scattered photons, this gives a high isotopic selectivity and makes ArTTA an ideal method for dating 39Ar.
Opposed to many other atom trapping experiments the amount of 39Ar is limited due to sample size, thus it is important to capture a high percentage of the atoms. With this poster we present the working principle of the ArTTA technique and will highlight the challenges of addressing argon atoms. Specifically, we will address the most crucial challenges of the measurement technique: the atom beam collimation and focusing apparatus to reach a high trapping rate in the MOT.
Keywords: Argon 39; radiometric dating; Laser-cooling and trapping; plasma; applied quantum optics