Laser cooling
For quantum applications, lasers are an essential component, whether it is to manipulate the atom or cool it to the incredibly cold temperatures that are required.
A key principle in laser cooling is that light carries momentum. If an atom moving in one direction absorbs a photon moving in the opposite direction, the momentum is transferred to the atom and it slows down. As atoms can move in 3 dimensions, six lasers are required – one from each side of the x, y and z axes.
Laser cooling can bring atoms to microkelvin temperatures, millionths of a degree above absolute zero. The atoms are kept in an ultra-high vacuum so the lasers used need to access the vacuum chamber.
Viewports
Special Techniques Group offers bespoke optical viewports, fabricated by diffusion bonding, that are suitable for many demanding ultra-high vacuum cryogenic applications. This makes them ideal for cold atom science and quantum system research and development. Our non-magnetic, ultra-thin windows can be precisely positioned and have features that include:
- Low distortion
- High numerical aperture
- High bake out temperatures
Key technical specifications
| Feature | Typical Options |
| Structural Materials |
|
| Optical Materials |
|
| Geometry | Up to 300 x 300 x 300mm. Larger assemblies can be considered |
| Coatings | Any standard industry option |
| Bake Out Temperature | 250°C. Higher temperatures are possible |
| Surface Finish | Based on customer preferences e.g. electropolishing |
| Optical Flatness / Transmitted Wavefront Error (TWE) | Lambda/8 – Lambda/10 |
| Optical Parallelism (tilt) | < 10 arc seconds |
| Optical Polish | 20/10 to 80/50 scratch/dig |
For more information, contact quantum@stg.ukaea.uk
