An ellipsoidal mirror for focusing neutral atomic and molecular beams

K. Fladischer*, H. Reingruber, T. Reisinger, V. Mayrhofer, W. E. Ernst, A. E. Ross, D. A. MacLaren, W. Allison, D. Litwin, J. Galas, S. Sitarek, P. Nieto, D. Barredo, D. Farias, R. Miranda, B. Surma, A. Miros, B. Piatkowski, E. Søndergård, Bodil Holst

*Korrespondierende/r Autor/-in für diese Arbeit

Publikation: Beitrag in einer FachzeitschriftArtikelBegutachtung

Abstract

Manipulation of atomic and molecular beams is essential to atom optics applications including atom lasers, atom lithography, atom interferometry and neutral atom microscopy. The manipulation of charge-neutral beams of limited polarizability, spin or excitation states remains problematic, but may be overcome by the development of novel diffractive or reflective optical elements. In this paper, we present the first experimental demonstration of atom focusing using an ellipsoidal mirror. The ellipsoidal mirror enables stigmatic off-axis focusing for the first time and we demonstrate focusing of a beam of neutral, ground-state helium atoms down to an approximately circular spot, (26.8±0.5) μm×(31.4±0.8) μm in size. The spot area is two orders of magnitude smaller than previous reflective focusing of atomic beams and is a critical milestone towards the construction of a high-intensity scanning helium microscope.
Originalspracheenglisch
Aufsatznummer033018
FachzeitschriftNew Journal of Physics
Jahrgang12
DOIs
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 2010

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physik und Astronomie (insg.)

Fields of Expertise

  • Advanced Materials Science

Treatment code (Nähere Zuordnung)

  • Basic - Fundamental (Grundlagenforschung)
  • Experimental

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