Ready, Aim, Squirt
With atom lasers, physicists seek better measurements and new
ways to manipulate matter
New atom lasers that shoot instead
of drip may help scientists gain unprecedented control of atom flows,
build more precise measuring instruments, and develop more effective
ways of fabricating nanometer-scale structures.
References:
Block, I., T.W. Hänsch, and T. Esslinger. 1999. An atom laser with
a cw output coupler. Physical Review Letters 82(April 12):3008.
Deng, L., E.W. Hagley. . . S.L. Rolston, and W.D. Phillips. 1999.
Four-wave mixing with matter waves. Nature 398(March 18):218.
Denschlag, J., D. Cassettari, and J. Schmiedmayer. 1999. Guiding
neutral atoms with a wire. Physical Review Letters 82(March
8):2014.
Hagley, E.W. . . . S.L. Rolston, and W.D. Phillips. 1999. A well-collimated
quasi-continuous atom laser. Science 283(March 12):1706.
Johnson, K.S. . . . and M. Prentiss. 1998. Localization of metastable
atom beams with optical standing waves: Nanolithography at the Heisenberg
limit. Science 280(June 5):1583.
Saba, C.V. . . . and E.A. Hinds. 1999. Reconstruction of a cold atom
cloud by magnetic focusing. Physical Review Letters 82(Jan.
18):468.
Further Readings:
1998. Atoms probe an unnatural force field. Physical Review Focus.
Available at http://publish.aps.org/FOCUS/v2/st6.html.
1995. A magnetic trampoline for cold atoms. Science News 148(Sept.
9):175.
Kleppner, D. 1999. The yin and yang of hydrogen. Physics Today
52(April):11.
______. 1997. A beginner's guide to the atom laser. Physics Today
50(August):11.
Lubkin, G.B. 1999. New atom lasers eject atoms or run cw. Physics
Today 52(April):17.
Pennisi, E. 1992. Light lens precisely guides atom beams. Science
News 141(March 14):166.
Peterson, I. 1997. Atom laser
demonstrated in chilled drips. Science News 151(Feb. 1):71.
______. 1993. Using light to guide atomic deposition. Science
News 144(Nov. 13):319.
______. 1993. Using light to focus chilled chromium atoms. Science
News 143(April 3):213.
Travis, J. 1991. Riding the atomic waves. Science News 140(Sept.
7):158.
Voss, D. 1999. Atom lasers get more laserlike. Science 283(March
12):1611.
Watson, A. 1999. Videotape brings atoms to a focus. Science
283(Jan. 29):626.
Weiss, P. 1999. Quantum Internet. Science News 155(April 3):220.
______. 1998. Condensate divided? Quantum unity stands. Science
News 154(Nov. 28):342.
______. 1998. Ultracold atoms: New gravity yardstick? Science
News 154(Aug. 8):87.
______. 1998. Hydrogen atoms chill to quantum sameness. Science
News 154(July 25):54.
Wu, C. 1995. Physics 'Holy Grail' finally captured. Science News
148(July 15):36.
Sources:
Edward Hagley
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8424
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8424
Theodor W. Hänsch
Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics
Laser Spectroscopy Division
D-85748 Garching
Germany
Ed A. Hinds
University of Sussex
Sussex Centre for Optical and Atomic Physics
Brighton BN1 9QH
United Kingdom
Wolfgang Ketterle
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Room 26-243
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
Daniel Kleppner
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Room 26-237
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307
William D. Phillips
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8424
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8424
Mara Prentiss
Harvard University
Department of Physics
Cambridge, MA 02138
Steven L. Rolston
National Institute of Standards and Technology
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8424
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8424
Jörg Schmiedmayer
Universität Innsbruck
Institut für Experimentalphysik
A-6020 Innsbruck
Austria
From Science
News, Vol. 155, No. 19, May 8, 1999, p. 296.
Copyright © 1999, Science Service.
