Magneto-optic trap using a reversible, solid-state alkali-metal source.

We demonstrate a novel way to form and deplete a vapor-cell magneto-optic trap (MOT) using a reversible, solid-state alkali-metal source via an applied polarized voltage. Using ∼100 mW of electrical power, a trapped-atom number of 5×106 has been achieved, starting from near zero and the timescales of the MOT formation and depletion of ∼1 s. This fast, reversible, and low-power alkali-atom source is desirable in both tabletop and portable cold-atom systems. The core technology of this device should translate readily to other alkali and alkaline-earth elements that could find a wide range of uses in cold-atom systems and instruments.

Ramsey Spectroscopy with Displaced Frequency Jumps.

Sophisticated Ramsey-based interrogation protocols using composite laser pulse sequences have been recently proposed to provide next-generation high-precision atomic clocks with a near perfect elimination of frequency shifts induced during the atom-probing field interaction. We propose here a simple alternative approach to the autobalanced Ramsey interrogation protocol and demonstrate its application to a cold-atom microwave clock based on coherent population trapping (CPT). The main originality of the method, based on two consecutive Ramsey sequences with different dark periods, is to sample the central Ramsey fringes with frequency jumps finely adjusted by an additional frequency-displacement concomitant parameter, scaling as the inverse of the dark period. The advantage of this displaced frequency-jump Ramsey method is that the local oscillator (LO) frequency is used as a single physical variable to control both servo loops of the sequence, simplifying its implementation and avoiding noise associated with controlling the LO phase. When tested using a CPT cold-atom clock, the DFJR scheme reduces the sensitivity of the clock frequency to variations of the light shifts by more than an order of magnitude compared with the standard Ramsey interrogation. This simple method can be applied in a wide variety of Ramsey-spectroscopy based applications including frequency metrology with CPT-based and optical atomic clocks, mass spectrometry, and precision spectroscopy.

A microfabricated optically-pumped magnetic gradiometer.

We report on the development of a microfabricated atomic magnetic gradiometer based on optical spectroscopy of alkali atoms in the vapor phase. The gradiometer, which operates in the spin-exchange relaxation free regime, has a length of 60 mm and cross sectional diameter of 12 mm, and consists of two chip-scale atomic magnetometers which are interrogated by a common laser light. The sensor can measure differences in magnetic fields, over a 20 mm baseline, of 10 fT/[Formula: see text] at frequencies above 20 Hz. The maximum rejection of magnetic field noise is 1000 at 10 Hz. By use of a set of compensation coils wrapped around the sensor, we also measure the sensor sensitivity at several external bias field strengths up to 150 mG. This device is useful for applications that require both sensitive gradient field information and high common-mode noise cancellation.

An optically modulated zero-field atomic magnetometer with suppressed spin-exchange broadening.

We demonstrate an optically pumped (87)Rb magnetometer in a microfabricated vapor cell based on a zero-field dispersive resonance generated by optical modulation of the (87)Rb ground state energy levels. The magnetometer is operated in the spin-exchange relaxation-free regime where high magnetic field sensitivities can be achieved. This device can be useful in applications requiring array-based magnetometers where radio frequency magnetic fields can induce cross-talk among adjacent sensors or affect the source of the magnetic field being measured.

Magnetoencephalography with a chip-scale atomic magnetometer.

We report on the measurement of somatosensory-evoked and spontaneous magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals with a chip-scale atomic magnetometer (CSAM) based on optical spectroscopy of alkali atoms. The uncooled, fiber-coupled CSAM has a sensitive volume of 0.77 mm(3) inside a sensor head of volume 1 cm(3) and enabled convenient handling, similar to an electroencephalography (EEG) electrode. When positioned over O1 of a healthy human subject, α-oscillations were observed in the component of the magnetic field perpendicular to the scalp surface. Furthermore, by stimulation at the right wrist of the subject, somatosensory-evoked fields were measured with the sensors placed over C3. Higher noise levels of the CSAM were partly compensated by higher signal amplitudes due to the shorter distance between CSAM and scalp.

Note: Detection of a single cobalt microparticle with a microfabricated atomic magnetometer.

We present magnetic detection of a single, 2 µm diameter cobalt microparticle using an atomic magnetometer based on a microfabricated vapor cell. These results represent an improvement by a factor of 10(5) in terms of the detected magnetic moment over previous work using atomic magnetometers to detect magnetic microparticles. The improved sensitivity is due largely to the use of small vapor cells. In an optimized setup, we predict detection limits of 0.17 µm(3).

Optical detection of NMR J-spectra at zero magnetic field.

Scalar couplings of the form JI(1) x I(2) between nuclei impart valuable information about molecular structure to nuclear magnetic-resonance spectra. Here we demonstrate direct detection of J-spectra due to both heteronuclear and homonuclear J-coupling in a zero-field environment where the Zeeman interaction is completely absent. We show that characteristic functional groups exhibit distinct spectra with straightforward interpretation for chemical identification. Detection is performed with a microfabricated optical atomic magnetometer, providing high sensitivity to samples of microliter volumes. We obtain 0.1 Hz linewidths and measure scalar-coupling parameters with 4-mHz statistical uncertainty. We anticipate that the technique described here will provide a new modality for high-precision "J spectroscopy" using small samples on microchip devices for multiplexed screening, assaying, and sample identification in chemistry and biomedicine.

Characterization of pigeon paramyxoviruses (Newcastle disease virus) isolated in South Africa from 2001 to 2006.

Pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 (PPMV-1), a variant of Newcastle disease virus that primarily affects doves and pigeons has been isolated in South Africa since the mid-1980s. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that pigeon paramyxovirus type 1 viruses were introduced into South Africa on multiple occasions, based on the presence of two separate lineages, 4bi and 4bii, that have been circulating in Europe and the Far East since the early 1990s. During 2006, a PPMV-1 virus was isolated from an African ground hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) which became acutely infected with PPMV-1 and died, probably after scavenging off infected dove carcasses in the region, since a closely-related PPMV-1 strain was also isolated from doves collected nearby. The hornbill isolate had ICPI and MDT values characteristic of PPMV-1 strains. The threat of PPMV-1 to poultry production and biodiversity in southern Africa highlights the importance of monitoring the spread of this strain.

Zero-field remote detection of NMR with a microfabricated atomic magnetometer.

We demonstrate remote detection of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) with a microchip sensor consisting of a microfluidic channel and a microfabricated vapor cell (the heart of an atomic magnetometer). Detection occurs at zero magnetic field, which allows operation of the magnetometer in the spin-exchange relaxation-free (SERF) regime and increases the proximity of sensor and sample by eliminating the need for a solenoid to create a leading field. We achieve pulsed NMR linewidths of 26 Hz, limited, we believe, by the residence time and flow dispersion in the encoding region. In a fully optimized system, we estimate that for 1 s of integration, 7 x 10(13) protons in a volume of 1 mm(3), prepolarized in a 10-kG field, can be detected with a signal-to-noise ratio of approximately 3. This level of sensitivity is competitive with that demonstrated by microcoils in 100-kG magnetic fields, without requiring superconducting magnets.

Demonstration of high-performance compact magnetic shields for chip-scale atomic devices.

We have designed and tested a set of five miniature nested magnetic shields constructed of high-permeability material, with external volumes for the individual shielding layers ranging from 0.01 to 2.5 cm(3). We present measurements of the longitudinal and transverse shielding factors (the ratio of external to internal magnetic field) of both individual shields and combinations of up to three layers. The largest shielding factor measured was 6 x 10(6) for a nested set of three shields, and from our results we predict a shielding factor of up to 1 x 10(13) when all five shields are used. Two different techniques were used to measure the internal field: a chip-scale atomic magnetometer and a commercially available magnetoresistive sensor. Measurements with the two methods were in good agreement.

High-contrast coherent population trapping resonances using four-wave mixing in 87Rb.

We demonstrate very high-contrast coherent population trapping(1) (CPT) resonances by using four-wave mixing in (87)Rb atoms. In the experiment, we take advantage of the spectral overlap between F=2-->F(?) and F=3-->F(?) optical resonances on the D1 line of (87)Rb and (85)Rb atoms, respectively, to eliminate the DC-light background from the CPT resonance signal. We observe a CPT resonance with a contrast in the range of 90%, compared with a few percent achieved by alternative methods.

Compact phase delay technique for increasing the amplitude of coherent population trapping resonances in open Lambda systems.

We propose and demonstrate a novel technique for increasing the amplitude of coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances in open Lambda systems. The technique requires no complex modifications to the conventional CPT setup and is compatible with standard microfabrication processes. The improvement in the CPT resonance amplitude as a function of intensity of the excitation light agrees well with the theory based on ideal open and closed Lambda systems.

Atomic-based stabilization for laser-pumped atomic clocks.

We describe a novel technique for stabilizing frequency shifts in laser-interrogated vapor-cell atomic clocks. The method suppresses frequency shifts due to changes in the laser frequency, intensity, and modulation index as well as atomic vapor density. The clock operating parameters are monitored by using the atoms themselves, rather than by using conventional schemes for laser frequency and cell temperature control. The experiment is realized using a chip-scale atomic clock. The novel atomic-based stabilization approach results in a simpler setup and improved long-term performance.

Atomic vapor cells for chip-scale atomic clocks with improved long-term frequency stability.

A novel technique for microfabricating alkali atom vapor cells is described in which alkali atoms are evaporated into a micromachined cell cavity through a glass nozzle. A cell of interior volume 1 mm3, containing 87Rb and a buffer gas, was made in this way and integrated into an atomic clock based on coherent population trapping. A fractional frequency instability of 6 x 10(-12) at 1000 s of integration was measured. The long-term drift of the F=1, mF=0-->F=2, mF=0 hyperfine frequency of atoms in these cells is below 5 x 10(-11)/day.

A chip-scale atomic clock based on 87Rb with improved frequency stability.

We demonstrate a microfabricated atomic clock physics package based on coherent population trapping (CPT) on the D1 line of 87Rb atoms. The package occupies a volume of 12 mm3 and requires 195 mW of power to operate at an ambient temperature of 200 degrees C. Compared to a previous microfabricated clock exciting the D2 transition in Cs [1], this 87Rb clock shows significantly improved short- and long-term stability. The instability at short times is 4 x?10-11 / tau?/2 and the improvement over the Cs device is due mainly to an increase in resonance amplitude. At longer times (tau?> 50 s), the improvement results from the reduction of a slow drift to ?5 x 10-9 / day. The drift is most likely caused by a chemical reaction of nitrogen and barium inside the cell. When probing the atoms on the D1 line, spin-exchange collisions between Rb atoms and optical pumping appear to have increased importance compared to the D2 line.

Coherent population trapping resonances in thermal (85)Rb vapor: D(1) versus D(2) line excitation.

We have compared coherent population trapping (CPT) resonances, both experimentally and theoretically, for excitation of the D(1) and D(2) transitions of thermal (85)Rb vapor. Excitation of the D(1) line results in greater resonance contrast than excitation of the D(2) line and in a reduction in the resonance width, in agreement with theoretical expectations. These results translate into a nearly tenfold improvement in performance for the application of CPT resonances to a frequency standard or a sensitive magnetometer when the D(1) line, rather than the D(2) line, is used.

Coherent population trapping resonances in thermal (85)Rb vapor: D(1) versus D(2) line excitation: errata.

In our recent Letter,(1) Ref. 12 was printed incorrectly. The correct reference is M. Zhu, Coherent population trapping-based frequency standard and method for generating a frequency standard incorporating a quantum absorber that genrates the CPT state with high frequency, U.S. patent 6,359,916 (March 19, 2002).

Frequency-dependent optical pumping in atomic ?-systems.

We consider the effects of optical pumping on the conversion of laser-frequency modulation into intensity modulation by an atomic absorption line in a vapor of alkali atoms driven in a ?-configuration. It is found that, due to optical pumping in combination with the excited-state hyperfine structure, the absorption line shape is distorted substantially as the Fourier frequency of the FM is changed. The most significant effect of the distortion is a shift of the apparent line center, which depends on how the frequency of the modulation compares with the optical pumping rate. This shift has implications for locking lasers to atomic transitions and also for FM-AM noise conversion in atomic vapors.

Compact diode-laser based rubidium frequency reference.

The performance of a simple microwave frequency reference based on Raman scattering in an atomic vapor is examined. This reference has the potential to be compact, low-power, and insensitive to acceleration. Several design architectures have been evaluated with a table-top experiment in order to guide the future development of a compact system. Fractional frequency deviations of