arXiv subjects

M. F. Parsons

Publications and source records attributed to M. F. Parsons.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2019

Implementation of a stable, high-power optical lattice for quantum gas microscopy

We describe the design and implementation of a stable high-power 1064 nm laser system to generate optical lattices for experiments with ultracold quantum gases. The system is based on a low-noise laser amplified by an array of four heavily modified, high-power fiber amplifiers. The beam intensity is stabilized and controlled with a nonlinear feedback loop. Using real-time monitoring of the resulting optical lattice, we find the stability of the lattice site positions to be well below the lattice spacing over the course of hours. The position of the harmonic trap produced by the Gaussian envelope of the lattice beams is stable to about one lattice spacing and the long-term (six-month) relative RMS stability of the lattice spacing itself is 0.5%.

cond-mat.quant-gas↗

arXiv2015

Low-noise optical lattices for ultracold $^6$Li

We demonstrate stable, long-term trapping of fermionic $^6$Li atoms in an optical lattice with MHz trap frequencies for use in a quantum gas microscope. Adiabatic release from the optical lattice in the object plane of a high-numerical-aperture imaging system allows a measurement of the population distribution among the lowest three bands in both radial directions with atom numbers as low as $7\times 10^2$. We measure exponential ground band heating rates as low as 0.014(1) s$^{-1}$ corresponding to a radial ground state $1/e$ lifetime of 71(5) s, fundamentally limited by scattering of lattice photons. For all lattice depths above 2 recoil, we find radial ground state lifetimes $\ge 1.6 \times 10^6$ recoil times.

physics.atom-ph↗