Abstract:
We demonstrate the in situ detection of cold 87Rb atoms near a dielectric surface using the absorption of a weak, resonant evanescent wave. We have used this technique in time of flight experiments determining the density of atoms falling on the surface. A quantitative understanding of the measured curve was obtained using a detailed calculation of the evanescent intensity distribution. We have also used it to detect atoms trapped near the surface in a standing-wave optical dipole potential. This trap was loaded by inelastic bouncing on a strong, repulsive evanescent potential. We estimate that we trap 1.5×104 atoms at a density 100 times higher than the falling atoms.
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Received 14 May 2002 Published online 8 October 2002
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Cornelussen, R., van Amerongen, A., Wolschrijn, B. et al. Cold trapped atoms detected with evanescent waves. Eur. Phys. J. D 21, 347–351 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2002-00205-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2002-00205-1