2003/07/22 by D. M. Harber, J. M. McGuirk, Harber, D. M. +5
Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Quantum Physics (quant-ph) #Soft Condensed Matter (cond-mat.soft) #cond-mat.soft #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/0307546
Improved theory curve eliminates discrepancy. JLTP in press
arxiv created 2003/08/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
We have measured magnetic trap lifetimes of ultra-cold Rb87 atoms at distances of 5-1000 microns from surfaces of conducting metals with varying resistivity. Good agreement is found with a theoretical model for losses arising from near-field magnetic thermal noise, confirming the complications associated with holding trapped atoms close to conducting surfaces. A dielectric surface (silicon) was found in contrast to be so benign that we are able to evaporatively cool atoms to a Bose-Einstein condensate by using the surface to selectively adsorb higher energy atoms.