"An Atom Michelson Interferometer and Other Stories of Atom Chips"
Dana Z. Anderson
University of Colorado
Wednesday, March 9, 2005 -11 AM - 12:00 Noon in 430 BIRGE HALL
Abstract
Atom "chip" technology seeks to simply ultracold atom systems and make
practical applications of ultracold atoms more feasible. I begin with the specific example
of an atom Michelson interferometer that we have implemented on an "atom chip." The
chip uses lithographically patterned conductors and external magnetic fields to
produce and guide a Bose-Einstein condensate. Splitting, retroreflecting, and
recombining of condensate atoms are achieved within a magnetic waveguide by a
standing-wave light field having a wave vector aligned along the guide. We have
demonstrated interference in the recombined atoms by varying a magnetic field
gradient applied during propagation.
The Michelson interferometer is one instance of apotentially useful
atom optical device that can be used, for example, as an inertial sensor. Atom optical
technology is now as lasers were in the early 1960's: exciting, full of
potential, but complicated and relegated to a small number of laboratories around the
world. I will review our efforts to develop compact atom chip systems intended to speed
the development of atom chip technology and bring it into the hands of those who want
to use it without necessarily needing all of the expertise currently required to
do even a "simple" ultracold atom experiment. In particular we have developed
(and still are developing) a compact and portable atom chip vacuum system that
we believe will make atom chip experiments much easier to carry out.
