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Sensitivity of Ultracold Atoms to Quantized Flux in a Superconducting Ring

P. Weiss, M. Knufinke, S. Bernon, D. Bothner, L. Sárkány, C. Zimmermann, R. Kleiner, D. Koelle, J. Fortágh, and H. Hattermann
Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 113003 – Published 17 March 2015
Physics logo See Synopsis: Cold Atoms, Meet Flux Quanta

Abstract

We report on the magnetic trapping of an ultracold ensemble of Rb87 atoms close to a superconducting ring prepared in different states of quantized magnetic flux. The niobium ring of 10μm radius is prepared in a flux state nΦ0, where Φ0=h/2e is the flux quantum and n varying between ±6. An atomic cloud of 250 nK temperature is positioned with a harmonic magnetic trapping potential at 18μm distance below the ring. The inhomogeneous magnetic field of the supercurrent in the ring contributes to the magnetic trapping potential of the cloud. The induced deformation of the magnetic trap impacts the shape of the cloud, the number of trapped atoms, as well as the center-of-mass oscillation frequency of Bose-Einstein condensates. When the field applied during cooldown of the chip is varied, the change of these properties shows discrete steps that quantitatively match flux quantization.

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  • Received 4 September 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.113003

© 2015 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Cold Atoms, Meet Flux Quanta

Published 17 March 2015

A cloud of atoms trapped close to a superconducting ring can detect the magnetic field inside the ring with single-quantum sensitivity.

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Authors & Affiliations

P. Weiss*, M. Knufinke, S. Bernon, D. Bothner, L. Sárkány, C. Zimmermann, R. Kleiner, D. Koelle, J. Fortágh, and H. Hattermann

  • CQ Center for Collective Quantum Phenomena and their Applications in LISA+, Physikalisches Institut, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 14, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany

  • *pweiss@pit.physik.uni-tuebingen.de
  • Present address: Laboratoire Photonique, Numérique et Nanosciences-LP2N Université Bordeaux-IOGS-CNRS: UMR 5298-Rue François Mitterrand, 33400 Talence, France.
  • fortagh@uni-tuebingen.de

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Issue

Vol. 114, Iss. 11 — 20 March 2015

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