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Q: Quantenoptik
Q 13: Atomoptik II
Q 13.3: Talk
Tuesday, March 4, 1997, 14:45–15:00, N 1
Quantum Wires for Neutral Atoms — •J. Schmiedmayer — Institut f"ur Experimentalphysik, Universit"at Innsbruck, Technikerstra"se 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
We propose to create quantum waveguides for atomic matter waves by mounting a charged wire on an atomic mirror. A neutral atom is attracted to a charged wire via its electric polarizability. The corresponding potenial has a 1/r2 dependence. This attraction will create vertical and transversal confinement. The exponential repulsive potential of an atomic mirror prevents the atoms from hitting the wire. Together the mirror and the wire form a potential tube in which the atoms propagate that can be viewed as a waveguide for neutral atoms, i.e. the atom optical analog to a gradient index optical fiber. One can use nanofabrication techniques to lithographically write the wires in any geometric form, i.e. straight, bent or in a Y. Additional electrodes located close to the wire can be used to modify the the potential used for the guiding. It should be possible to create beam splitters and interferometers for guided neutral atoms. The technique proposed here to create waveguides for neutral atoms is very similar to techniques used in quantum electronics to create quantum wells and quantum wires. We call our devices, therefore, neutral atom quantum wires.