arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to D. Wharam.
We have used ultracold atoms to characterize the magnetic field near the surface of copper conductors at room temperature carrying currents between 0.045 A and 2 A. In addition to the usual circular field we find an additional, 1000 - 10000 times smaller longitudinal field. The field changes its strength periodically with a period of 200-300 um.
We describe the production and characterization of microelectromagnets made for trapping and manipulating atomic ensembles. The devices consist of 7 fabricated parallel copper conductors 3 micrometer thick, 25mm long, with widths ranging from 3 to 30 micrometer, and are produced by electroplating a sapphire substrate. Maximum current densities in the wires up to 6.5 * 10^6 A / cm^2 are achieved in continuous mode operation. The device operates successfully at a base pressure of 10^-11 mbar. The microstructures permit the realization of a variety of magnetic field configurations, and hence provide enormous flexibility for controlling the motion and the shape of Bose-Einstein condensates.