Trapping and manipulating ultracold atoms and degenerate quantum gases in magnetic micropotentials is reviewed. Starting with a comprehensive description of the basic concepts and fabrication techniques of microtraps together with early pioneering experiments, emphasis is placed on current experiments on degenerate quantum gases. This includes the loading of quantum gases in microtraps, coherent manipulation, and transport of condensates together with recently reported experiments on matter-wave interferometry on a chip. Theoretical approaches for describing atoms in waveguides and beam splitters are briefly summarized, and, finally, the interaction between atoms and the surface of microtraps is covered in some detail.

Magnetic microtraps for ultracold atoms

We demonstrate time-resolved counting of single atoms extracted from a weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate of 87Rb atoms. The atoms are detected with a high-finesse optical cavity and single atom transits are identified. An atom laser beam is formed by continuously output coupling atoms from the Bose-Einstein condensate. We investigate the full counting statistics of this beam and measure its second order correlation function g((2))(tau) in a Hanbury Brown-Twiss type experiment. For the monoenergetic atom laser we observe a constant correlation function g((2))(tau)=1.00 +/- 0.01 and an atom number distribution close to a Poissonian statistics. A pseudothermal atomic beam shows a bunching behavior and a Bose distributed counting statistics.

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Correlations and counting statistics of an atom laser.

Chip-scale atomic devices combine elements of precision atomic spectroscopy, silicon micromachining, and advanced diode laser technology to create compact, low-power, and manufacturable instruments with high precision and stability. Microfabricated alkali vapor cells are at the heart of most of these technologies, and the fabrication of these cells is discussed in detail. We review the design, fabrication, and performance of chip-scale atomic clocks, magnetometers, and gyroscopes and discuss many applications in which these novel instruments are being used. Finally, we present prospects for future generations of miniaturized devices, such as photonically integrated systems and manufacturable devices, which may enable embedded absolute measurement of a broad range of physical quantities.

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Chip-scale atomic devices

We present a microfabricated optical cavity, which combines a very small mode volume with high finesse. In contrast to other micro-resonators, such as microspheres, the structure we have built gives atoms and molecules direct access to the high-intensity part of the field mode, enabling them to interact strongly with photons in the cavity for the purposes of detection and quantum-coherent manipulation. Light couples directly in and out of the resonator through an optical fiber, avoiding the need for sensitive coupling optics. This renders the cavity particularly attractive as a component of a lab-on-a-chip, and as a node in a quantum network.

/pdf/microfabricated-high-finesse-optical-cavity-with-open-access-2yob1ox0es.pdf

Microfabricated high-finesse optical cavity with open access and small volume

This paper presents the design and implementation of a high-order /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ interface for micromachined inertial sensors, which employs an electronic filter in series with the mechanical sensor element to reject the excessive in-band quantization noise inherently present in state-of-the-art second-order solutions. A fourth-order prototype was fabricated in a standard 0.5-/spl mu/m CMOS process. The active circuit area measures 0.9 mm/sup 2/, and the interface consumes 13 mW from a 5-V supply and achieves resolution of 1/spl deg//s//spl radic/Hz with a gyroscope and 150/spl mu/g//spl radic/Hz with an accelerometer. Comparison between the measured and simulated behavior of the system shows that the contribution of the quantization error to the total noise is negligible.

A fourth-order /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ interface for micromachined inertial sensors

To verify the effectiveness of higher-order electromechanical sigma-delta modulator (EAM), a micromachined accelerometer is fabricated. The in-plane sensor with fully differential structure has a mechanical noise floor below static sensitivity 20pF/g and resonant frequency 325Hz. Analyses are performed to these key parameters. The silicon-on-glass sensor is fabricated by Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE)and anodic bonding. Compared with a second-order electro-mechanical EAM, which only uses mechanical integration, the sensor is cascaded with additional electronic integrators to form a fifth-order electromechanical EAM, which leads to beter Signal to Quantization Noise Ratio (SQNR). Key words: Micromachined accelerometer, sigma-delta modulator.

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0960-1317/15/7/004/pdf

A high-performance accelerometer with a fifth-order sigma–delta modulator

Concave pyramids are created in the (100) surface of a silicon wafer by anisotropic etching in potassium hydroxide. High quality micromirrors are then formed by sputtering gold onto the smooth silicon (111) faces of the pyramids. These mirrors show great promise as high quality optical devices suitable for integration into micro-optoelectromechanical systems and atom chips. We have shown that structures of this shape can be used to laser-cool and hold atoms in a magneto-optical trap.

/pdf/pyramidal-micromirrors-for-microsystems-and-atom-chips-3tn7ruelcb.pdf

Pyramidal micromirrors for microsystems and atom chips

We report on the integration of small-scale optical components into silicon wafers for use in atom chips. We present an on-chip fibre-optic atom detection scheme that can probe clouds with small atom numbers. The fibres can also be used to generate microscopic dipole traps. We describe our most recent results with optical microcavities and show that a sufficiently high finesse can be achieved to enable single-atom detection on an atom chip. The key components have been fabricated by etching directly into the atom chip silicon substrate.

Integrated optical components on atom chips

Concave pyramids are created in the (100) surface of a silicon wafer by anisotropic etching in potassium hydroxide. High quality micro-mirrors are then formed by sputtering gold onto the smooth silicon (111) faces of the pyramids. These mirrors show great promise as high quality optical devices suitable for integration into MOEMS and atom chips. We have shown that structures of this shape can be used to laser-cool and hold atoms in a magneto-optical trap.

/pdf/pyramidal-micro-mirrors-for-microsystems-and-atom-chips-4q007b4rts.pdf

Pyramidal micro-mirrors for microsystems and atom chips

We have fabricated and tested an atom chip that operates as a matter wave interferometer. In this communication we describe the fabrication of the chip by ion-beam milling of gold evaporated onto a silicon substrate. We present data on the quality of the wires, on the current density that can be reached in the wires and on the smoothness of the magnetic traps that are formed. We demonstrate the operation of the interferometer, showing that we can coherently split and recombine a Bose–Einstein condensate with good phase stability.

/pdf/atom-chip-for-bec-interferometry-26acfqkkmv.pdf

Carsten O. Gollasch

Papers

A high-performance accelerometer with a fifth-order sigma–delta modulator

Pyramidal micromirrors for microsystems and atom chips

Integrated optical components on atom chips

Pyramidal micro-mirrors for microsystems and atom chips

Atom chip for BEC interferometry