Atomic Matter Research Articles

Direct detection of atomic dark matter in white dwarfs

Dark matter could have a dissipative asymmetric subcomponent in the form of atomic dark matter (aDM). This arises in many scenarios of dark complexity, and is a prediction of neutral naturalness, such as the Mirror Twin Higgs model. We show for the first time how White Dwarf cooling provides strong bounds on aDM. In the presence of a small kinetic mixing between the dark and SM photon, stars are expected to accumulate atomic dark matter in their cores, which then radiates away energy in the form of dark photons. In the case of white dwarfs, this energy loss can have a detectable impact on their cooling rate. We use measurements of the white dwarf luminosity function to tightly constrain the kinetic mixing parameter between the dark and visible photons, for DM masses in the range 10−5–105 GeV, down to values of ϵ ∼ 10−12. Using this method we can constrain scenarios in which aDM constitutes fractions as small as 10−3 of the total dark matter density. Our methods are highly complementary to other methods of probing aDM, especially in scenarios where the aDM is arranged in a dark disk, which can make direct detection extremely difficult but actually slightly enhances our cooling constraints.

Searching for new interactions at submicron scale using the Mössbauer effect

A new technique to search for new scalar and tensor interactions at the sub-micrometer scale is presented. The technique relies on small shifts of nuclear gamma lines produced by the coupling between matter and the nuclei in the source or absorber of a Mossbauer spectrometer. Remarkably, such energy shifts are rather insensitive to electromagnetic interactions that represent the largest background in searches for new forces using atomic matter. This is because nuclei are intrinsically shielded by the electron clouds. Additionally, electromagnetic interactions cause energy shifts by coupling to nuclear moments that are suppressed by the size of the nuclei, while new scalar interactions can directly affect these shifts. Finally, averaging over unpolarized nuclei, further reduces electromagnetic interactions. We discuss several possible configurations, using the traditional Mossbauer effect as well as nuclear resonant absorption driven by synchrotron radiation. For this purpose, we examine the viability of well known Mossbauer nuclides along with more exotic ones that result in substantially narrower resonances. We find that the technique introduced here could substantially improve the sensitivity to a variety of new interactions and could also be used, in conjunction with mechanical force measurements, to corroborate a discovery or explore the new physics that may be behind a discovery.

Self-trapped atomic matter wave in a ring cavity

We studied a system of atomic Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to a ring cavity within the mean-field theory. Due to the interaction between atoms and light field, the atoms can be self-trapped. This is verified with both variational and numerical methods. We examined the stability of these self-trapped states. For a weakly pumped cavity, they spread during the evolution; while at strong pumping, they can maintain the shape for a long time. We also studied the moving dynamics of these self-trapped waves, and found out that it can be strongly affected by the cavity decay rate. For a small cavity decay rate, the self-trapped waves undergo a damped oscillation. Increasing the cavity decay rate will lead to a deceleration of the self-trapped waves. We also compared the main results with the semiclassical theory in which atoms are treated as classical particles.

Unidirectional spin transport of a spin-orbit-coupled atomic matter wave using a moving Dirac δ -potential well

We study the transport of a spin-orbit-coupled atomic matter wave using a moving Dirac $\delta$-potential well. In a spin-orbit-coupled system, bound states can be formed in both ground and excited energy levels with a Dirac $\delta$ potential. Because Galilean invariance is broken in a spin-orbit-coupled system, moving of the potential will induce a velocity-dependent effective detuning. This induced detuning breaks the spin symmetry and makes the ground-state transporting channel be spin-$\uparrow$ ($\downarrow$) favored while makes the excited-state transporting channel be spin-$\downarrow$ ($\uparrow$) favored for a positive-direction (negative-direction) transporting. When the $\delta$-potential well moves at a small velocity, both the ground-state and the excited-state channels contribute to the transportation, and thus both the spin components can be efficiently transported. However, when the moving velocity of the $\delta$-potential well exceeds a critical value, the induced detuning is large enough to eliminate the excited bound state, and makes the ground bound state the only transporting channel, in which only the spin-$\uparrow$ ($\downarrow$) component can be efficiently transported in a positive (negative) direction. This work demonstrates a prototype of unidirectional spin transport.

Guided matter wave inertial sensing in a miniature physics package

We describe an ultra-compact (∼10 cm3 physics package) inertial sensor based on atomic matter waves that are guided within an optical lattice during almost the entire interferometer cycle. We demonstrate a large momentum transfer of up to 8 ℏk photon momentum with a combination of Bragg pulses and Bloch oscillations with scalability to larger numbers of photons. Between momentum transfer steps, we maintain the atoms in a co-moving optical lattice waveguide so that the atoms are in free space only during the Bragg pulses. Our guided matter wave approach paves the way for atomic inertial sensing in dynamic environments in which untrapped atoms would otherwise quickly collide with the walls of a miniature chamber.

Bound states of spin–orbit coupled cold atoms in a Dirac delta-function potential

Dirac delta-function potential is widely studied in quantum mechanics because it usually can be exactly solved and at the same time is useful in modeling various physical systems. Here we study a system of delta-potential trapped spin–orbit coupled cold atoms. The spin–orbit coupled atomic matter wave has two kinds of evanescent modes, one of which has a pure imaginary wavevector and is an ordinary evanescent wave; while the other with a complex number wave vector is recognized as an oscillating evanescent wave. We identified the eigenenergy spectra and the existence of bound states in this system. The bound states can be constructed analytically using the two kinds of evanescent modes and we found that they exhibit typical features of stripe phase, separated phase or zero-momentum phase. In addition to that, the properties of semi-bound states are also discussed, which is a localized wave packet on a plane wave background.

Expansion of the universe and its correlation with dark energy

The Universe is expanding and science has got the relevant amount of evidence to prove that. The red shift of the distant galaxies prove that the Universe is expanding and at a good rate. The trouble is not with the expansion rather the force that is helping in this expansion. The Four Forces that is understood by physics are Gravitational Force, Electromagnetic Force, The Weak Force and The Strong Force. The four forces mentioned above unfortunately does not help in understanding the expansion of the Universe even after 13.8 billion years from the Big Bang. Initially it was thought that the Universe had an exponential expansion just after the Big Bang and this expansion will slow down before Gravity starts contracting the Universe. Well this theory got a setback after the Red Shift of the Galaxies showed that the Universe is still expanding.The expansion is happening still which means that the Gravitational Force is not being able to drift the galaxies towards one another. So what could be the unknown force that is repelling the galaxies from one another? Scientists have been working on this issue and many new concepts have been developed. Many scientists have argued that there is some force that is repelling the Universe but understanding this force has been difficult till now. Major scientists now agree that there is a force that is repelling the Universe and this force is not the four fundamental forces that are known to us. They have termed this force as the Dark Energy.What is this Dark Energy is a haunting question in today’s world. Only around 5% of the observable Universe is known till date. The rest around 95% is still a mystery to us. Of that 95% around 68% is Dark Energy. So the importance of understanding this force is the need of the hour. This force can tell a lot about the formation of the Universe from the start or it can even enlighten us if the Universe is eternal.The issue is as of now, this Dark Energy is hypothetical in nature as it has not been seen or felt by the instruments available to science today. The idea of Dark Energy goes to explain the expansion of the Universe, if Dark Energy is taken as some sort of Anti- Gravitational Force.Einstein’s theory of relativity talks of how space and time is intermingled with gravity. According to this theory space time gets modified due to the amount of matter that falls into the space. So if a planet sits on a space in the Universe it will cause a deviation in the space time field in such a way that it will accommodate the matter of the planet. So Einstein placed time as the fourth dimension and showed its importance in space. This theory stands true in majority of the cases in the Universe. The only hurdle being that inside the Black Hole this theory falters.Einstein and Schrodinger did interact with one another after he had understood that the Universe was expanding through the theory presented by Hubble. Earlier Einstein had stated that the Universe was Static. To counter the exigency that space time changes with matter he had proposed a constant by the name Cosmological Constant. Later he took the constant away stating that it was his blunder not to understand that the Universe was Expanding. Schrodinger had proposed to put the Cosmological Constant in the right side of the equation. This meant the constant may change with time and be considered more of a variable force. Though, Einstein later did not agree to the idea. Still it can be considered that both of them were talking about an extra force but could not come to any conclusion on this.Einstein in his special relativity theory had talked of conversion of energy to matter with his famous equation, E=mc^2. This meant that energy can be formed by matter and matter can be converted into energy. Though energy created from matter can be seen in Atom Bomb but matter created from energy is not seen. This paper will try to show how matter can be created from energy where Dark Energy acts as a Catalyst.This paper also tries to analyze the concept of Dark Energy as a non interacting supermassive energy (NISE). The paper will try to see the relationship between expanding Universe and Dark energy. The paper will try to develop a new spectrum that can make Dark Energy or NISE as stated in the paper visible or understandable. The paper will also like to see the relationship between Dark Energy and Photon. The paper will try to show how energy is converted from matter with the help of Dark Energy.Â

Quantum Monte Carlo Methods for Astrophysical Applications

In recent years, new astrophysical observations have provided a wealth of exciting input for nuclear physics. For example, the observation of two-solar-mass neutron stars put strong constraints on possible phase transitions to exotic phases in strongly-interaction matter at high densities. Furthermore, the recent observation of a neutron-star merger in both the electromagnetic spectrum and gravitational waves has provided compelling evidence that neutron-star mergers are an important site for the production of extremely neutron-rich nuclei within the r-process. In the coming years, an abundance of new observations is expected to be made, which will continue to provide crucial constraints on the nuclear physics of these events. To reliably analyze such astrophysical observations and extract information on nuclear physics, it is very important that a consistent approach to nuclear systems is used. Such an approach consists of a precise and accurate method to solve the nuclear many-body problem in nuclei and nuclear matter, combined with modern nuclear Hamiltonians that allow to estimate the theoretical uncertainties. Quantum Monte Carlo methods are ideally suited for such an approach and and have been successfully used to describe atomic nuclei and nuclear matter. In this contribution, I will present a detailed description of Quantum Monte Carlo methods focusing on the application of these methods to astrophysical problems. In particular, I will discuss how to use Quantum Monte Carlo methods to describe nuclear matter of relevance to the physics of neutron stars.

New Concepts of the Origin of Chemical Elements on the Earth and in the Universe. Part 1

The formation of space began with the formation of the first star, and then the formation of our Solar System ensued. This is how the evolution of stars and planets, in which chemical elements are synthesized, is described. The dimensions of the system are determined by the relationship of atomic matter with physical vacuum and gravitational forces of attraction. Both micro- and macrosystems have their own oscillation frequencies, and thus a continuous spectrum of different frequencies emerges and fills the entire space of the Universe; resonance is the most plausible mechanism underlying the interactions of the oscillations of these micro- and macrosystems. The development of the material world proceeds from the simple to the complex. The frequency of electromagnetic radiation of atomic hydrogen precedes the frequency of radiation of all subsequent chemical elements of the periodic table, and the rhythms of each subsequent element are harmonized with the vibrations of the hydrogen atom according to the resonance relations. This study touches upon global issues regarding the origin of chemical elements with the whole set of their stable and radioactive isotopes and their prevalence in the Universe. Some aspects of the constancy of the speed of light and mode oscillations on the Sun, as well as Schumann resonances, are addressed. Vibration is the single connection and the single source of motion in all this diversity.

Preparing Atomic Topological Quantum Matter by Adiabatic Nonunitary Dynamics.

Motivated by the outstanding challenge of realizing low-temperature states of quantum matter in synthetic materials, we propose and study an experimentally feasible protocol for preparing topological states such as Chern insulators. By definition, such (nonsymmetry protected) topological phases cannot be attained without going through a phase transition in a closed system, largely preventing their preparation in coherent dynamics. To overcome this fundamental caveat, we propose to couple the target system to a conjugate system, so as to prepare a symmetry protected topological phase in an extended system by intermittently breaking the protecting symmetry. Finally, the decoupled conjugate system is discarded, thus projecting onto the desired topological state in the target system. By construction, this protocol may be immediately generalized to the class of invertible topological phases, characterized by the existence of an inverse topological order. We illustrate our findings with microscopic simulations on an experimentally realistic Chern insulator model of ultracold fermionic atoms in a driven spin-dependent hexagonal optical lattice.

Superheavy objects composed of nuclear and dark matter

We consider a model of OHe atomic dark matter formed by Coulomb binding of the hypothetical stable double-charged massive O– – particles with nuclei of primordial helium. Such a dark matter can be captured by ordinary matter forming superheavy nuclei. We propose a possibility of self-bound by nuclear and electromagnetic interaction O-nuclearites as well as more massive gravitating ones and discuss effect of accumulation of OHe atoms in stars and their effect in stellar evolution.

Mapping the Large-Scale Universe through Intergalactic Silhouettes

A majority of the atomic matter in the universe takes the form of a highly dilute gas that permeates the overwhelming volume of intergalactic space. Dubbed the intergalactic medium, this ubiquitous...

Optimization of a magneto–optic trap using nanofibers**Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFA0304502), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11574187, 11634008, 11674203, and 61227902), and the Fund for Shanxi “1331 Project”, China.

We experimentally demonstrate a reliable method based on a nanofiber to optimize the number of cold atoms in a magneto–optical trap (MOT) and to monitor the MOT in real time. The atomic fluorescence is collected by a nanofiber with subwavelength diameter of about 400 nm. The MOT parameters are experimentally adjusted in order to match the maximum number of cold atoms provided by the fluorescence collected by the nanofiber. The maximum number of cold atoms is obtained when the intensities of the cooling and re-pumping beams are about 23.5 mW/cm2 and 7.1 mW/cm2, respectively; the detuning of the cooling beam is −13.0 MHz, and the axial magnetic gradient is about 9.7 Gauss/cm. We observe a maximum photon counting rate of nearly (4.5±0.1) × 105 counts/s. The nanofiber–atom system can provide a powerful and flexible tool for sensitive atom detection and for monitoring atom–matter coupling. It can be widely used from quantum optics to quantum precision measurement.

Towards experiments with highly charged ions at HESR

The atomic physics collaboration SPARC is a part of the APPA pillar at the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research. It aims at atomic‐physics research across virtually the full range of atomic matter. An emphasis of this contribution are the atomic physics experiments addressing the collision dynamics in strong electro‐magnetic fields as well as the fundamental interactions between electrons and heavy nuclei at the HESR. Here we give a short overview about the central instruments for SPARC experiments at this storage ring.

Theoretical analysis quantum tunnelling three potential barriers to the Schrodinger equation in grapheme

Quantum mechanics is a branch of physics that can answer problems involving atomic nuclei, atoms, molecules, and matter in solids rather than classical mechanics.The phenomenon of three barrier tunnelling effects is the development of a double barrier tunnelling effect. This study aims to determine the transmission coefficient on three barriers. This study uses a barrier with the semiconductor material, graphene. Graphene material has a band gap energy close to 0 eV with a lattice distance of 0.246 nm. Analysis of tunnelling effects using the Schrodinger equation does not depend on time with the matrix propagation method. The results shown get the largest transmission coefficient is 1.00 of energy electron 0.9225 eV, meaning the chance of electrons in breaking through the barrier to 100%. However, after reaching the largest coefficient point on the three electron barriers the transmission coefficient decreases even though the energy is getting higher. But on one and two electron energy barriers and the transmission coefficient increases and does not decrease. The properties of this very special graphene can create a new opportunity in the utilization to produce better electronic field products such as supercapacitors and transistors.

Excitation of E1-forbidden atomic transitions with electric, magnetic, or mixed multipolarity in light fields carrying orbital and spin angular momentum [Invited

Photons carrying a well-defined orbital angular momentum have been proven to modify spectroscopic selection rules in atomic matter. Excitation profiles of electric quadrupole transitions have been measured with single trapped $^{40}$Ca$^+$ ions for varying polarizations. We further develop the photo-absorption formalism to study the case of arbitrary alignment of the beam's optical axis with respect to the ion's quantization axis and mixed multipolarity. Thus, predictions for M1-dominated $^{40}Ar^{13+}$, E3-driven $^{171}Yb^+$ and $^{172}Yb^+$, and B-like $^{20}Ne^{5+}$ are presented. The latter case displays novel effects, coming from the presence of a strong photon -- magnetic dipole coupling.

Effect of spin–orbit coupling on tunnelling escape of Bose–Einstein condensate

We theoretically investigate quantum tunnelling escape of a spin–orbit (SO)-coupled Bose–Einstein condensate (BEC) from a trapping well. The condensate is initially prepared in a quasi-one-dimensional harmonic trap. Depending on the system parameters, the ground state can fall in different phases—single minimum, separated or stripe. Then, suddenly the trapping well is opened at one side. The subsequent dynamics of the condensate is studied by solving nonlinear Schrödinger equations. We found that the diverse phases will greatly change the tunneling escape behavior of SO-coupled BECs. In the single minimum and separated phases, the condensate escapes the trapping well continuously, while in the stripe phase it escapes the well as an array of pulses. We also found that SO coupling has a suppressing effect on the tunnelling escape of atoms. Especially, for BECs without inter-atom interaction, the tunnelling escape can be almost completely eliminated when the system is tuned near the transition point between the single minimum and stripe phases. Our work thus suggests that SO coupling may be a useful tool to control the tunnelling dynamics of BECs, and potentially be applied in the realization of atom lasers and matter wave switches.

Conversion of gravitons into dark photons in cosmological dark magnetic fields

It is well known that gravitons can convert into photons, and vice versa, in the presence of cosmological magnetic fields. We study this conversion process in the context of atomic dark matter scenario. In this scenario, we can expect cosmological dark magnetic fields, which are free from the stringent constraint from the cosmic microwave observations. We find that gravitons can effectively convert into dark photons in the presence of cosmological dark magnetic fields. The graviton-dark photon conversion effect may open up a new window for ultra high frequency gravitational waves.

Exploring the astrophysics of dark atoms

A component of the dark matter could consist of two darkly charged particles with a large mass ratio and a massless force carrier. This `atomic' dark sector could behave much like the baryonic sector, cooling and fragmenting down to stellar-mass or smaller scales. Past studies have shown that cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure constraints rule out $\gtrsim 5\%$ of the dark matter to behave in this manner. However, we show that, even with percent level mass fractions, a dark atomic sector could affect some extragalactic and galactic observables. We track the cooling and merger history of an atomic dark component for much of the interesting parameter space. Unlike the baryons, where stellar feedback (driven by nuclear physics) delays the formation and growth of galaxies, cooling dark atomic gas typically results in disks forming earlier, leaving more time for their destruction via mergers. Rather than disks in Milky Way sized halos, we find the end product is typically spheroidal structures on galactic scales or dark atom fragments distributed on halo scales. This result contrasts with previous studies, which had assumed that the dark atoms would result in dark disks. Furthermore the dark atoms condense into dense clumps, analogous to how the baryons fragment on solar-mass scales. We estimate the size of these dark clumps, and use these estimates to show that viable atomic dark matter parameter space is ruled out by stellar microlensing, by the half-light radii of ultra-faint dwarf galaxies, and by Milky Way mass-to-light inferences.

A proposed atom interferometry determination of G at 10−5 using a cold atomic fountain

In precision metrology, the determination of the Newtonian gravity constant G represents a real problem, since its history is plagued by huge unknown discrepancies between a large number of independent experiments. In this paper, we propose a novel experimental setup for measuring G with a relative accuracy of , using a standard cold atomic fountain and matter wave interferometry. We discuss in detail the major sources of systematic errors, and provide the expected statistical uncertainty. The feasibility of determining G at the level is also discussed.