Guiding neutral atoms on a chip
We demonstrate the guiding of neutral atoms by the magnetic fields due to microfabricated current-carrying wires on a chip. Atoms are guided along a magnetic field minimum parallel to and above the current-carrying wires. Two guide configurations are demonstrated: one using two wires with an external magnetic field, and a second using four wires without an external field. These guide geometries can be extended to integrated atom optics circuits, including beam splitters.
Dekker
NH
Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA.
Lee
CS
Lorent
V
Thywissen
JH
Smith
SP
Drndic
M
Westervelt
RM
Prentiss
M