Abstract
We report on the loading of atoms contained in a magneto-optic trap into multiple optical traps formed within the focused beam of a CO2 laser. We show that, under certain circumstances, it is possible to create a linear array of dipole traps with well-separated maxima. This is achieved by focusing the laser beam through lenses uncorrected for spherical aberration. We demonstrate that the separation between the micro-traps can be varied, a property which may be useful in experiments that require the creation of entanglement between atoms in different micro-traps. We suggest other experiments where an array of these traps could be useful.
Highlights
The trapping of atoms at the intensity maximum of an optical field that is far-detuned to the red of an atomic transition has been the subject of study for almost a decade [1, 2]
The number of micro-traps being loaded from a magneto-optic trap (MOT) at a given time depends where the MOT and far-off resonant optical traps (FORTs) overlap each other
The spherical aberration is diminished by the small beam size on the primary lens so that only the highly populated central FORT remains
Summary
The trapping of atoms at the intensity maximum of an optical field that is far-detuned to the red of an atomic transition has been the subject of study for almost a decade [1, 2]. There has been a rapid growth of interest in these far-off resonant optical traps (FORTs) because of their versatility and wide range of possible applications They have been used to create an all optical Bose-Einstein condensate [3, 4, 5], a degenerate Fermi gas [6] and an all optical atomic laser [7]. The main difficulty associated with their scheme has been the need to construct a lattice FORT with sufficient separation between unit cells to address them individually and with a sufficient volume to load many atoms at each trapping site These challenges have been the focus of another series of experimental efforts. Our suggestions and future plans for the use of these potentials appear in the conclusion section
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