A Route to a Room Temperature, Effusive Atomic Beams

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A Route to a Room Temperature, Effusive Atomic
Beams
Morgan Welsh Miami University, NIST Summer
Undergraduate Research Fellow
Abstract Conventionally, effusive atomic beams
of alkali metals are created using an oven that
heats an atomic source to create a
non-directional atomic beam. The out-going
atoms pass through a constriction that
collimates the atoms into a narrow beam. A
phenomenon, known as Light-Induced Atomic
Desorption (LIAD), can be applied to this system
to increase the density of rubidium atoms. LIAD
is a non-thermal process using non-resonant,
ultraviolet light incident on the inside
surfaces of the chamber. The UV light modifies
the surface properties and releases atoms that
were bound to the surface. These desorbed atoms
are at room temperature, and therefore have
relatively low velocities, which facilitates
more efficient laser cooling apparatus. I
investigated the effects of LIAD on a rubidium
vapor cell, and subsequently extended the
experiment to detect a LIAD enhanced rubidium
beam

• Wed. Sept. 7th