MOT: Magneto-Optical Trap

Our magneto-optical trap allows the study of ultracold atoms.

See more photos of the MOT in our Photo Gallery.

Description:

The coldest atoms in Kansas can be found in our Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT). Stuck in the "optical molasses" of six intersecting laser beams and the field of a magnet, atoms can be cooled to just a fraction of a degree above absolute zero. This greatly reduces the random thermal motions of the atoms and makes it possible for us to study the details of collisions of ions with these atoms to an unprecedented degree of precision.

The cold, trapped atoms can be probed with either laser light or slow ion beams. These techniques are known as MOTRIMS, or magneto-optical trap recoil-ion momentum spectroscopy.

"Team MOTRIMS" is headed by Professor Brett DePaola.

Recent Publications from the MOT:

"Photoassociation in cold atoms via ladder excitation,"
M.L. Trachy, G. Veshapidze, M.H. Shah, H.U. Jang, B.D. DePaola
Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 43003 (2007)
"Model-independent measurement of the excited fraction in a magneto-optical trap"
M.H. Shah, H.A. Camp, M.L. Trachy, G. Veshapidze, M.A. Gearba, B.D. DePaola
Phys. Rev. A 75, 53418 (2007)
"Measurement of population dynamics in stimulated Raman adiabatic passage"
M.A. Gearba, H.A. Camp, M.L. Trachy, G. Veshapidze, M.H. Shah, H.U. Jang, B.D. DePaola
Phys. Rev. A 76, 13406 (2007)
"An auto-incrementing nanosecond delay circuit,"
H.U. Jang, J. Blieck, G. Veshapidze, M.L. Trachy, B. D. DePaola
Rev. Sci. Instrumen. 78, 94702 (2007)
"Pathway for two-color photoassociative ionization with ultrafast optical pulses in a Rb magneto-optical trap"
G. Veshapidze, M. L. Trachy, H. U. Jang, C. W. Fehrenbach, B. D. DePaola
Phys. Rev. A 76, 51401 (2007)
"Reducing the uncertainty in laser beam size measurement with a scanning edge method"
G Veshapidze, ML Trachy, MH Shah, BD DePaola
Appl. Opt. 45, 8197 (2006)