Magneto-Optical Trap

Apparatus for trapping and cooling neutral atoms with laser light and a weak quadrupolar magnetic field — the workhorse of cold-atom labs.

Specifications & Metrics

type

Trapping

Core Principles & Analysis

• An apparatus for trapping and cooling neutral atoms.
• Two coils in an anti-Helmholtz configuration generate a weak quadrupolar magnetic field.
• The magnetic field, combined with laser light, provides both the restoring force and cooling.

Sources

• Wikipedia: Magneto-optical trap