A dual-species two-MOT setup for preparing a Bose-Fermi mixture on an atom chip

Abstract

Ein zwei-Spezies Doppel-MOT (magneto-optische Falle) Aufbau zur Herstellung einer Bose-Fermi Mischung auf einem Atom Chip wird präsentiert. Der experimentelle Aufbau, bestehend aus einem Laser System und einem zwei Kammer Vakuum Apparat wird beschrieben und die zwei magneto-optischen Fallen werden charakterisiert.<br />

A dual-species two-MOT (magneto-optical trap) setup for preparing a 87Rb/40K Bose-Fermi mixture on an atom chip is presented.<br />The experimental system, consisting of a laser system and a two-chamber vacuum apparatus, where a collection MOT feeds a mirror MOT via a push laser beam (through a differential pumping stage), is illustrated in detail. Two of the eventual aims of the experiment are to investigate collapse phenomena in 1D and 3D Bose-Fermi mixtures and to study the thermalization of Bose-Fermi mixtures. This thesis is organized in the following way: Chapter 2 gives an overview of the theory of laser cooling and introduces the basic concepts of trapping and cooling neutral atoms in a magneto-optical trap. Chapter 3 details the experimental setup, consisting of the laser system, the vacuum assembly (housing the atom chip), the bias-field coils and the MOT optics setup. Chapter 4 focuses on the measurement and characterisation of the two single-species MOTs in the collection chamber. Chapter 5 presents the preliminary results of a 87Rb mirror MOT in the science chamber and discusses the complexity of the optimisation process. Finally, chapter 6 reports on the progress of the experiment and the achievements, made during this diploma work.