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MO: Fachverband Molekülphysik
MO 12: Poster – Cold Atoms and Molecules, Matter Waves (joint session Q/A/MO)
MO 12.46: Poster
Dienstag, 11. März 2025, 14:00–16:00, Tent
Assessing interactions of Rb vapor with mirror coatings for compact cold-atom sources — •Constantin Avvacumov, Alexander Herbst, Wei Liu, Ashwin Rajagopalan, Knut Stolzenberg, Daida Thomas, Ernst Rasel, 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 cold atom sources. A typical first cooling stage of atom interferometers 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 poster, we present systematic analysis of the interaction of Rb vapor with highly reflective coating materials (gold, silver, aluminium, dielectric coatings) and compare samples with and without protective coating. In our mirror testing setup, we observe mirror reflectivity degradation as a function of time and Rb partial pressure in a long-term perspective. Six mirror samples are exposed to alcali vapor at partial pressures up to and about saturation level (about 5 * 10−7 mbar at room temperature). The results show significant reduction in mirror lifespan at Rb pressures above saturation level, which varies, however, for different samples. Analysis of the reactivity of alkali vapor with various materials at different pressures has an application in design of future compact quantum optical experiments.
Keywords: MOT; coatings; mirror reflectivity; rubidium