Loading of a magneto-optical trap of metastable helium

Hanna, Thomas M

Cultural advice

The Australian National University acknowledges, celebrates and pays our respects to the Ngunnawal and Ngambri people of the Canberra region and to all First Nations Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and work, and whose cultures are among the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that ANU Library collections may include images, names, voices, and other representations of deceased persons.

Material in the collection may contain terms, language or views that reflect the period in which the item was created and may be considered inappropriate today.

Loading of a magneto-optical trap of metastable helium

Date

2003

Authors

Hanna, Thomas M

Abstract

We report contributions made towards achievement of Bose-Einstein condensation of metastable helium, with the common theme of enabling the achievement of a magneto-optical trap. The primary contribution of this thesis is the characterisation of a sigma-minus Zeeman slower, capable of slowing metastable helium atoms to approximately 70 m/s, allowing the loading of a magneto-optical trap.