arXiv subjects

A. S. Arnold

Publications and source records attributed to A. S. Arnold.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Fresnel zone plates for reconfigurable atomic waveguides

Fresnel zone plates (FZPs), with patterns of $1\,μ$m resolution, allow the formation of clean, diffraction-limited foci -- but have a static phase profile. Spatial light modulators (SLMs) allow dynamic control of spatial beam intensity and phase -- but are bulky and currently limited to roughly $10\,μ$m pixel sizes and $1\,$Mega-pixel formats. Here, we present a new `best-of-both' kind of FZP, scalable to large area rings currently incompatible with direct SLM generation. It is equivalent to a plano-convex donut lens, whereby light's local intensity and global phase at the FZP map directly onto the image plane. The same FZP under different SLM illumination can generate: rings and arcs, double-rings, phase windings and ring lattices (or dynamic combinations thereof). The smooth and adaptable near-field waveguide this enables will be ideal for Sagnac interferometry with ultracold atoms.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2022

A tuneable wavelength reference for chip-scale laser cooling

We demonstrate a tuneable, chip-scale wavelength reference to greatly reduce the complexity and volume of cold-atom sensors. A 1 mm optical path length micro-fabricated cell provides an atomic wavelength reference, with dynamic frequency control enabled by Zeeman shifting the atomic transition through the magnetic field generated by the printed circuit board (PCB) coils. The dynamic range of the laser frequency stabilization system is evaluated and used in conjunction with an improved generation of chip-scale cold atom platforms that traps 4 million 87Rb atoms. The scalability and component consolidation provide a key step forward in the miniaturization of cold atom sensors.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Invited Review: Micro-fabricated components for cold atom sensors

Laser cooled atoms have proven transformative for precision metrology, playing a pivotal role in state-of-the-art clocks and interferometers, and having the potential to provide a step-change in our modern technological capabilities. To successfully explore their full potential, laser cooling platforms must be translated from the laboratory environment and into portable, compact quantum sensors for deployment in practical applications. This transition requires the amalgamation of a wide range of components and expertise if an unambiguously chip-scale cold atom sensor is to be realized. We present recent developments in cold-atom sensor miniaturization, focusing on key components that enable laser cooling on the chip-scale. The design, fabrication and impact of the components on sensor scalability and performance will be discussed with an outlook to the next generation of chip-scale cold atom devices.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

Micro-machined deep silicon atomic vapor cells

Using a simple and cost-effective water jet process, silicon etch depth limitations are overcome to realize a $6\,$mm deep atomic vapor cell. While the minimum silicon feature size was limited to a $1.5\,$mm width in these first generation vapor cells, we successfully demonstrate a two-chamber geometry by including a $\sim$25~mm meandering channel between the alkali pill chamber and main interrogation chamber. We evaluate the impact of the channel conductance on the introduction of alkali vapor density during the pill activation process, and mitigate glass damage and pill contamination near the main chamber. Finally, we highlight the improved signal achievable in the $6\,$mm silicon cell compared to standard $2\,$mm path length silicon vapor cells.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2021

A simple imaging solution for chip-scale laser cooling

We demonstrate a simple stacked scheme that enables absorption imaging through a hole in the surface of a grating magneto-optical trap (GMOT) chip, placed immediately below a micro-fabricated vacuum cell. The imaging scheme is capable of overcoming the reduced optical access and surface scatter that is associated with this chip-scale platform, while further permitting both trapping and imaging of the atoms from a single incident laser beam. The through-hole imaging is used to characterise the impact of the reduced optical overlap volume of the GMOT in the chip-scale cell, with an outlook to an optimised atom number in low volume systems.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2021

Roadmap on Atomtronics: State of the art and perspective

Atomtronics deals with matter-wave circuits of ultra-cold atoms manipulated through magnetic or laser-generated guides with different shapes and intensities. In this way, new types of quantum networks can be constructed, in which coherent fluids are controlled with the know-how developed in the atomic and molecular physics community. In particular, quantum devices with enhanced precision, control and flexibility of their operating conditions can be accessed. Concomitantly, new quantum simulators and emulators harnessing on the coherent current flows can also be developed. Here, we survey the landscape of atomtronics-enabled quantum technology and draw a roadmap for the field in the near future. We review some of the latest progresses achieved in matter-wave circuits design and atom-chips. Atomtronic networks are deployed as promising platforms for probing many-body physics with a new angle and a new twist. The latter can be done both at the level of equilibrium and non-equilibrium situations. Numerous relevant problems in mesoscopic physics, like persistent currents and quantum transport in circuits of fermionic or bosonic atoms, are studied through a new lens. We summarize some of the atomtronics quantum devices and sensors. Finally, we discuss alkali-earth and Rydberg atoms as potential platforms for the realization of atomtronic circuits with special features.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2020

Laser cooling in a chip-scale platform

Chip-scale atomic devices built around micro-fabricated alkali vapor cells are at the forefront of compact metrology and atomic sensors. We demonstrate a micro-fabricated vapor cell that is actively-pumped to ultra-high-vacuum (UHV) to achieve laser cooling. A grating magneto optical trap (GMOT) is incorporated with the 4 mm-thick Si/glass vacuum cell to demonstrate the feasibility of a fully-miniaturized laser cooling platform. A two-step optical excitation process in rubidium is used to overcome surface-scatter limitations to the GMOT imaging. The unambiguous miniaturization and form-customizability made available with micro-fabricated UHV cells provide a promising platform for future compact cold-atom sensors.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2018

Talbot-enhanced, maximum-visibility imaging of condensate interference

Nearly two centuries ago Talbot first observed the fascinating effect whereby light propagating through a periodic structure generates a `carpet' of image revivals in the near field. Here we report the first observation of the spatial Talbot effect for light interacting with periodic Bose-Einstein condensate interference fringes. The Talbot effect can lead to dramatic loss of fringe visibility in images, degrading precision interferometry, however we demonstrate how the effect can also be used as a tool to enhance visibility, as well as extend the useful focal range of matter wave detection systems by orders of magnitude. We show that negative optical densities arise from matter-wave induced lensing of detuned imaging light -- yielding Talbot-enhanced single-shot interference visibility of >135% compared to the ideal visibility for resonant light.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2017

High-precision control of static magnetic field magnitude, orientation, and gradient using optically pumped vapour cell magnetometry

An integrated system of hardware and software allowing precise definition of arbitrarily oriented magnetic fields up to |B| = 1 μT within a five-layer mumetal shield is described. The system is calibrated with reference to magnetic resonance observed between Zeeman states of the 6S$_{1/2}$ F = 4 $^{133}$Cs ground state. Magnetic field definition over the full 4π solid angle is demonstrated, with one-sigma tolerances in magnitude, orientation and gradient of δ|B| = 0.94 nT, δθ = 5.9 mrad and δ$\nabla$ B = 13.0 pT/mm, respectively. This field control is used to empirically map Mx magnetometer signal amplitude as a function of the static field (B0) orientation.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2016

Design and fabrication of diffractive atom chips for laser cooling and trapping

It has recently been shown that optical reflection gratings fabricated directly into an atom chip provide a simple and effective way to trap and cool substantial clouds of atoms [1,2]. In this article we describe how the gratings are designed and micro-fabricated and we characterise their optical properties, which determine their effectiveness as a cold atom source. We use simple scalar diffraction theory to understand how the morphology of the gratings determines the power in the diffracted beams.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2015

Optical pattern formation with a 2-level nonlinearity

We present an experimental and theoretical investigation of spontaneous pattern formation in the transverse section of a single retro-reflected laser beam passing through a cloud of cold Rubidium atoms. In contrast to previously investigated systems, the nonlinearity at work here is that of a 2-level atom, which realizes the paradigmatic situation considered in many theoretical studies of optical pattern formation. In particular, we are able to observe the disappearance of the patterns at high intensity due to the intrinsic saturable character of 2-level atomic transitions.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2013

A surface-patterned chip as a strong source of ultra-cold atoms for quantum technologies

Laser cooled atoms are central to modern precision measurements. They are also increasingly important as an enabling technology for experimental cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information processing and matter wave interferometry. Although significant progress has been made in miniaturising atomic metrological devices, these are limited in accuracy by their use of hot atomic ensembles and buffer gases. Advances have also been made in producing portable apparatus that benefit from the advantages of atoms in the microKelvin regime. However, simplifying atomic cooling and loading using microfabrication technology has proved difficult. In this letter we address this problem, realising an atom chip that enables the integration of laser cooling and trapping into a compact apparatus. Our source delivers ten thousand times more atoms than previous magneto-optical traps with microfabricated optics and, for the first time, can reach sub-Doppler temperatures. Moreover, the same chip design offers a simple way to form stable optical lattices. These features, combined with the simplicity of fabrication and the ease of operation, make these new traps a key advance in the development of cold-atom technology for high-accuracy, portable measurement devices.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Demonstration of an inductively coupled ring trap for cold atoms

We report the first demonstration of an inductively coupled magnetic ring trap for cold atoms. A uniform, ac magnetic field is used to induce current in a copper ring, which creates an opposing magnetic field that is time-averaged to produce a smooth cylindrically symmetric ring trap of radius 5 mm. We use a laser-cooled atomic sample to characterise the loading efficiency and adiabaticity of the magnetic potential, achieving a vacuum-limited lifetime in the trap. This technique is suitable for creating scalable toroidal waveguides for applications in matterwave interferometry, offering long interaction times and large enclosed areas.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2012

Trans-spectral orbital angular momentum transfer via four wave mixing in Rb vapor

We report the transfer of phase structure, and in particular of orbital angular momentum, from near-infrared pump light to blue light generated in a four-wave-mixing process in 85Rb vapour. The intensity and phase profile of the two pump lasers at 780nm and 776nm, shaped by a spatial light modulator, influences the phase and intensity profile of light at 420nm which is generated in a subsequent coherent cascade. In particular we oberve that the phase profile associated with orbital angular momentum is transferred entirely from the pump light to the blue. Pumping with more complicated light profiles results in the excitation of spatial modes in the blue that depend strongly on phase-matching, thus demonstrating the parametric nature of the mode transfer. These results have implications on the inscription and storage of phase-information in atomic gases.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2010

Enhanced frequency up-conversion in Rb vapor

We demonstrate highly efficient generation of coherent 420nm light via up-conversion of near-infrared lasers in a hot rubidium vapor cell. By optimizing pump polarizations and frequencies we achieve a single-pass conversion efficiency of 260% per Watt, significantly higher than in previous experiments. A full exploration of the coherent light generation and fluorescence as a function of both pump frequencies reveals that coherent blue light is generated close to 85Rb two-photon resonances, as predicted by theory, but at high vapor pressure is suppressed in spectral regions that do not support phase matching or exhibit single-photon Kerr refraction. Favorable scaling of our current 1mW blue beam power with additional pump power is predicted.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2010

Spatial interference from well-separated condensates

We use magnetic levitation and a variable-separation dual optical plug to obtain clear spatial interference between two condensates axially separated by up to 0.25 mm -- the largest separation observed with this kind of interferometer. Clear planar fringes are observed using standard (i.e. non-tomographic) resonant absorption imaging. The effect of a weak inverted parabola potential on fringe separation is observed and agrees well with theory.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2008

Dark dynamic acousto-optic ring lattices for ultracold atoms

We demonstrate the optical generation of dynamic dark optical ring lattices, which do not require Laguerre-Gauss beams, large optical coherence lengths or interferometric stability. Simple control signals lead to spatial modulation and reproducible rotation, offering manifold possibilities for complex dynamic ring lattices. In conjunction with a magnetic trap, these scanned 2D intensity distributions from a single laser beam will enable precision trapping and manipulation of ultracold species using blue-detuned light. The technique is ideal for azimuthal ratchet, Mott insulator and persistent current experiments with quantum degenerate gases.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2008

A Smooth, Inductively Coupled Ring Trap for Atoms

We propose and numerically investigate a scalable ring trap for cold atoms that surmounts problems of roughness of the potential and end--effects of trap wires. A stable trapping potential is formed about an electrically isolated, conducting loop in an ac magnetic field by time averaging the superposition of the external and induced magnetic fields. We investigate the use of additional fields to eliminate Majorana spin flip losses and to create novel trapping geometries. The possibility of micro--fabrication of these ring traps offers the prospect of developing Sagnac atom interferometry in atom--chip devices.

physics.atom-ph↗