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arXiv · 1608.04787

Ex Vacuo Atom Chip Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC)

Abstract

Ex vacuo atom chips, used in conjunction with a custom thin walled vacuum chamber, have enabled the rapid replacement of atom chips for magnetically trapped cold atom experiments. Atoms were trapped in $>2$ kHz magnetic traps created using high power atom chips. The thin walled vacuum chamber allowed the atoms to be trapped $\lesssim1$ mm from the atom chip conductors which were located outside of the vacuum system. Placing the atom chip outside of the vacuum simplified the electrical connections and improved thermal management. Using a multi-lead Z-wire chip design, a Bose-Einstein condensate was produced with an external atom chip. Vacuum and optical conditions were maintained while replacing the Z-wire chip with a newly designed cross-wire chip. The atom chips were exchanged and an initial magnetic trap was achieved in less than three hours.

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Matthew B. Squires, Spencer E. Olson, Brian Kasch, James A. Stickney, Christopher J. Erickson, Jonathan A. R. Crow, Evan J. Carlson, John H. Burke. 2016-08-16. Ex Vacuo Atom Chip Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4971838

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