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  • Laser Cooling and Trapping of Metastable Neon and Applications to Photoionization

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    Ashmore_2005_01Thesis.pdf (7.071Mb)
    Author(s)
    Ashmore, Jonathan P.
    Primary Supervisor
    Sang, Robert
    Year published
    2005
    Metadata
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    Abstract
    This thesis presents an in-depth study into the characterization and enhancement of a metastable neon laser cooled and trapped atomic beam. The apparatus consists of a standard Zeeman slowed atomic beam loaded into a magneto-optical trap and was designed for applications to electron scattering experiments and photoionization. The efficiency of the metastable neon atomic source was investigated to determine the ideal cathode type for maximum metastable production and optimal atomic beam velocity haracteristics. A series of characterization measurements were performed on the MOT, and the trap volume and population were ...
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    This thesis presents an in-depth study into the characterization and enhancement of a metastable neon laser cooled and trapped atomic beam. The apparatus consists of a standard Zeeman slowed atomic beam loaded into a magneto-optical trap and was designed for applications to electron scattering experiments and photoionization. The efficiency of the metastable neon atomic source was investigated to determine the ideal cathode type for maximum metastable production and optimal atomic beam velocity haracteristics. A series of characterization measurements were performed on the MOT, and the trap volume and population were investigated for a range of trapping and slowing laser intensities and detunings, together with the MOT and Zeeman slower magnetic fields. The volume measurements were compared to standard Doppler theory and it was found that the Doppler model inadequately explained the trap behaviour. It was found that the MOT population characteristics were governed by two processes: two-body losses that limit the trap population at high densities, and the efficiency of the atom capture process which limits the operational range of the MOT over the various parameters. The trap temperature was determined to be 1.3mK via a time-of-flight technique. This was nearly twice that predicted by Doppler theory and the lack of agreement once again suggests the inadequacies in the Doppler theory to correctly model the experiment. The application of the MOT to the photoionization cross-section measurement of the (2p53p)3D3 state of neon was investigated. The MOT decay technique was utilized to measure cross-section values of o351 = 2.9+0.2 -0.3 x 10 -18cm2 and o363 = 3.1 +0.3 -0.4 x 10-18cm2 at the wavelengths of 351nm and 363nm respectively. This is an increase in accuracy of around a factor of five from previous measurements and it was found that the results agreed well with the values predicted by current theories.
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    Thesis Type
    Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
    Degree Program
    Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
    School
    School of Science
    DOI
    https://doi.org/10.25904/1912/27
    Copyright Statement
    The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
    Item Access Status
    Public
    Subject
    Metastable neon
    laser cooling and trapping
    photoionization
    Zeeman slowed atomic beam
    magneto-optical trap
    Doppler theory
    Publication URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367728
    Collection
    • Theses - Higher Degree by Research

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