Abstract
We describe the creation and characterisation of a velocity tunable, spin-polarized beam of slow metastable argon atoms. We show that the beam velocity can be determined with a precision below 1% using matter-wave interferometry. The profile of the interference pattern was also used to determine the velocity spread of the beam, as well as the Van der Waals (VdW) co-efficient for the interaction between the metastable atoms and the multi-slit silicon nitride grating. The VdW co-efficient was determined to be C 3 = 1.84 ± 0.17 a.u., in good agreement with values derived from spectroscopic data. Finally, the spin polarization of the beam produced during acceleration of the beam was also measured, demonstrating a spatially uniform spin polarization of 96% in the m = +2 state.
Highlights
Atomic and molecular beams are vitally important tools in physics, chemistry and materials science
We show that the beam velocity can be determined with a precision below 1% using matter-wave interferometry
Optical forces have been used to create tunable, low energy beams [6,7,8,9,10], allowing much lower velocities with additional control over the beam velocity and velocity spread. Such beams are useful for matter-wave interferometry and for exploring low energy atomic and molecular collisions [11]
Summary
Atomic and molecular beams are vitally important tools in physics, chemistry and materials science. Optical forces have been used to create tunable, low energy beams [6,7,8,9,10], allowing much lower velocities with additional control over the beam velocity and velocity spread Such beams are useful for matter-wave interferometry and for exploring low energy atomic and molecular collisions [11]. For beams with time dependent accelerating forces, such as in optical acceleration, TOF calculations often do not accurately estimate the atomic velocity. To address this problem, alternative methods that measure the atomic velocity at a particular location have been employed. Phys. 54 (2021) 155301 using the same method allows us to determine the C3 coefficient that characterises the Van der Waals (VdW) interaction between these atoms and the silicon nitride (Si3N4) diffraction grating
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