Experimental procedure for laser-cooling and trapping of neutral atoms

Seong, Eunyoung
Atomic Quantum Information Laboratory
Department of Physics, Korea University
March 19, 2024

Abstract
The advancement of cooling and trapping techniques of neutral are pioneering new av-
enues in the field of physics research. It enables exploring the fundamental nature of matter
at the quantum level and possesses potential for revolutionary technological applications.
With their distinctive quantum characteristics and the high level of experimental control
available, cold atoms offer versatile applications such as quantum simulations, Bose-Einstein
condensates, quantum computing, ultra-precise atomic clocks, quantum sensing, quantum
communication, and more.
In this research, particular emphasis is placed upon the magneto-optical trap (MOT), a
paramount technique for achieving ultracold atoms. Our focus lies in studying and imple-
menting techniques requisite for building MOT for rubidium (Rb) atoms.

1. Theoretical study (week2 - week3)

We delved into the energy states of Rb atoms and their interactions with light, paving
the way for a comprehension of laser cooling principles. Expanding on this, we explored
the intricacies of magneto-optical traps. Furthermore, we acquired insights into the opera-
tional mechanisms and tuning methodologies of external-cavity diode lasers. Additionally,
we learned saturated absorption spectroscopy enabling observation of the Doppler-free tran-
sition frequency of atoms.

2. Construction of external-cavity diode laser (week4 - week6)

1. Construction of laser component
Mount a commercially available diode laser, along with a collimating lens and a diffraction
grating, onto a baseplate. The diffraction grating is positioned in a Littrow configuration,
wherein the light diffracted into the first order is directed back toward the laser. This setup
makes the grating as one of the mirrors in a laser cavity, complementing the reflection from
the diode’s back facet. Integrate a Piezoelectric (PZT) behind the grating mount to rotate
of the grating and adjust the cavity length with electric control.

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 2. Wavelength tuning
Tune the laser frequency by changing the diode temperature, current, and the grating
angle. The laser is correctly tuned if distinct fluorescence signal emerges from the Rb cell.
Control the temperature of the baseplate and laser diode using heaters or coolers to avoid
undesired shifts in the laser frequency. Thermal control is important for stable operation
on desired frequency since thermal changes cause changes in the length of the cavity and
frequency of the laser diode.
3. Enclosure
Fabricate enclosure to thermally and vibrationally isolate the system.

3. Saturated absorption spectroscopy setup (week7, week9)

1. Optics setup
Saturated absorption spectroscopy requires two counterpropagating beams: one is a com-
paratively strong pump beam, while the other is a relatively weaker probe beam, facilitating
the appearance of the absorption dip. Align beam splitters so that the laser is split into two
beams and make them pass through Rb cell in the opposite direction while overlapping each
other, as figure 1.

FIG. 1: Optical arrangement of saturated absorption spectroscopy [1]

2. Piezoelectric scanning
To observe hyperfine levels of Rb, sweep the laser frequency over resonance frequencies of
the Rb atoms. This is done by modulating voltage applied to the PZT. Use photodetector
and amplifier to measure the transmitted intensity of the probe beam to obtain saturated
absorption curve.

4. Laser frequency stabilization (week10)

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 Frequency stability of the laser is accomplished by employing the mechanisms of PID
control with negative feedback. Utilizing the saturated absorption signal enables precise
detection of the laser frequency, subsequently implementing a feedback loop to maintain the
length of the laser cavity constant. In operation, a portion of the laser output is diverted
towards a saturated absorption spectrometer, generating an electronic error signal. This
signal is then fed back to the laser, actively stabilizing its frequency.

5. Laser-cooling setup (week11 - week12)

The laser cooling setup consists of two lasers. Cooling and trapping are done by a single
laser, referred to as trapping laser, which is slightly red-detuned from resonance relative to
the 5S F=2→5P F’=3 transition of Rb. However, additional laser, termed the hyperfine
pumping laser, is required to counteract atom decay into the 5S F=1 state rather than the
desired 5S F=2 state. Hyperfine pumping laser repump the atoms from the 5S F=1 state
to the 5P F’=2 state, allowing subsequent decay back to the 5S F=2 state.

FIG. 2: Cooling and repumping transition of Rb

After fabricating these lasers and stabilizing them as mentioned above, the lasers pass
through AOM. An AOM is a device that to diffract and shift the frequency of light. By
applying an RF signal to the AOM, the laser frequency can be shifted. AOMs are em-
ployed to shift the frequency of laser beams so that it is detuned slightly below an atomic
transition to induce laser cooling. In this experiment, the system is aligned in double-pass
AOM configuration using additional optical component, such as polarized beam splitter and
quarter-wave plate.
Also, single mode fiber is employed to make the beam profile Gaussian, ensuring the trap

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location in MOT to be center of laser beams.

6. Construction of vacuum chamber (week13 - week14)

Ultrahigh vacuum is required for the trapping cell. Use ion pump to maintain pressures
below the vapor pressure of Rb in room temperature (3.0 × 10−7 Torr). Build a chamber
with vacuum seals and assemble windows for optical access. After assembly, perform leak
test. Pump the system down to a low enough pressure to start the ion pump (10−5 Torr∼
10−6 Torr) using turbo-molecular pump and bake the system to remove contaminants from
the surfaces inside the vacuum chamber.

FIG. 3: Example vacuum chamber structure [2]

7. Magneto-optical trap (week15)

The optical arrangement for trapping laser includes beam splitters and wave plate, so that
the radiation pressure exerted by the laser is along all six directions. After passing through
beam shaping optics to make the elliptical diode laser beam circular, use beam splitters
to split the beam into three equal intensities. Make these beams circularly polarized using
quarter-wave plates before passing through the cell. After the trapping cell, each beam goes
through a second quarter wave plate followed by reflection off a mirror, which accomplishes
three orthogonal pairs of nearly counterpropagating beams. The reflected beams exhibit
circular polarization opposite to that of the original beams, thereby achieving the desired
optical configuration.
To make hyperfine pumping laser overlap with trapping laser, use a lens to expand the
beam and reflecting it off a mirror into the trapping cell through any window.

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 Assemble optics, vacuum chamber, and controllable Rb source and fabricate anti-
Helmholtz coil to produce magnetic field gradients. Produce adequate pressure of Rb vapor
in the cell and the current through the coil, to observe trapped atom appearing as a small
bright cloud.

[1] C. Wieman, G. Flowers, and S. Gilbert, American Journal of Physics - AMER J PHYS 63,
317 (1995).
[2] R. Nolli, M. Venturelli, L. Marmugi, A. Wickenbrock, and F. Renzoni, Review of Scientific
Instruments 87, 083102 (2016).
[3] Wikipedia contributors, Ultracold atom — Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2023), [Online; ac-
cessed 19-March-2024], URL https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ultracold_
atom&oldid=1192004926.
[4] K. MacAdarn, A. Steinbach, and C. Wiernan, A narrow-band tunable diode laser system with
grating feedback, and a saturated absorption spectrometer for Cs and Rb (2008), pp. 665–678.