https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530050130
Longitudinal Stern-Gerlach effect for slow cesium atoms
Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers (UMR 7538 du CNRS) ,
Institut Galilée, Université Paris-Nord,
Avenue J.-B. Clément, 93430 Villetaneuse, France
Corresponding author: a gorceix@lpl.univ-paris13.fr
Received:
16
February
1998
Revised:
1
April
1998
Accepted:
6
April
1998
Published online: 15 June 1998
The mechanical Stern-Gerlach effect is investigated in the case of a slow atomic cloud falling through an inhomogeneous magnetic field featuring a strong longitudinal gradient. The resulting Zeeman sublevel state selection is demonstrated under various experimental conditions. Longitudinal spatial separations are in agreement with numerical simulations that take into account the gravitational acceleration and both the transverse and axial magnetic forces. Since separations greater than 20 cm are obtained, potential applications in atom optics are outlined.
PACS: 03.75.Be – Atom and neutron optics / 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping / 39.10.+j – Atomic and Molecular beam sources and techniques
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1998