Freiburg 2024 – wissenschaftliches Programm

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Q: Fachverband Quantenoptik und Photonik

Q 55: Poster VI

Q 55.9: Poster

Donnerstag, 14. März 2024, 17:00–19:00, Tent B

Assessing interactions of Rb vapor with mirror coatings — •Constantin Avvacumov, Alexander Herbst, Klaus Zipfel, Ali Lezeik, Dorothee Tell, Jonas Klussmeyer, and Dennis Schlippert — Leibniz Universität Hannover, Institut für Quantenoptik

Atom interferometers are effective tools for fundamental research and geodesy applications, e.g. for gravimetry. Fundamentally, quantum projection noise motivates the development of high-flux sources of cold atoms. A typical first cooling stage is a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D-MOT). In recent years, attempts to improve on 2D-MOTs' SWaP (size, weight, and power) budget raised questions regarding the compatibility of high-quality optical coatings exposed to alkali vapor, e.g. rubidium or potassium.

In this work, we systematically analyse the interaction of Rb vapor with highly reflective coating materials (gold, silver, aluminium, dielectric coatings). Our mirror testing setup enables simultaneous exposure of multiple mirror samples to a high flux of Rb atoms and measurement of their reflectivity degradation as a function of time and alcali partial pressure. The results will yield better understanding of the reactivity of alkali vapor with various materials and will thus be useful for future compact quantum optical experiments.

Keywords: MOT; coatings; mirror reflectivity; rubidium