• The proposed work packages (WP) for the period are WP1 with the goal of developing a super resolution quantum gas microscope (QGM) for dysprosium atoms as well as WP4 aimed at creating a degenerate Fermi gas of lithium atoms under the pulsed ion microscope.
• WP1: An ultra-high vacuum setup as well as an accompanying laser system was constructed, which is used for trapping and laser cooling of dysprosium atoms. Up to 10^9 162Dy atoms are trapped in a five-beam magneto-optical trap (MOT) at temperatures of about 20 µK. The atoms are then loaded into a crossed beam optical dipole trap. The next step will be to evaporatively cool the atoms into quantum degeneracy. A setup for transporting the atoms from the ‘main’ chamber, where the MOT is created, to a separate ‘science’ chamber, where the QGM will be implemented, was tested and characterized. Furthermore, a setup for the active magnetic field stabilization to achieve the necessary stability for the super resolution scheme was developed. The science chamber, a custom very high numerical aperture in-vacuum objective (NA=0.9) as well as the specific trap geometry for the quantum gas microscope were designed and all necessary components will be ordered soon. As we are very sensitive to stray as well as scattered light, dedicated measures were developed to minimize the detrimental influence on any trap geometry. These measures include special coatings on optical surfaces, the geometry of the chamber itself as well as planning for a small hole in the center of the objective. A detailed simulation of the full imaging scheme including all relevant noise sources was performed, which confirmed the expected super resolution capabilities of the scheme as well as allowed us to developed suitable image analysis methods to be used with the QGM.
• WP4: The ion microscope was tested with bosonic rubidium atoms and the proven working principle will be extended to the Fermi gas of lithium atoms. Within the WP4, our existing setup needs to be upgraded in two broad aspects, which are
o Design and test of a dual species beam source for rubidium and lithium atoms.
o Setting up of the lasers for cooling and Rydberg excitation of lithium atoms.
We have designed a dual species effusive atomic oven based on the mixing chamber design, where both the atomic species effuse out towards the dual species Zeeman slower via a common exit aperture. We are currently in the process of assembling the different vacuum components and testing the performance of the oven design in a test setup. Keeping in mind the challenges of operating the atomic reservoirs at two vastly different temperatures, we are also currently testing the performance of atomic dispensers for lithium. These dispensers, when tested and integrated, are a promising direction towards making the atomic beam source compact. The lasers for the cooling and Rydberg excitation of lithium were purchased, delivered and tested. We have planned an optical setup for implementing the laser cooling of Lithium atoms and the necessary optical elements have been ordered.
