This research project focuses on the application of the power of laser cooling and trapping techniques to a new system - ultracold neutral plasmas. This represents a completely new mode of neutral plasma confinement, and it will enable fundamental experiments on strong coupling, recombination, and cold electron-ion collisions and thermalization. Ultracold neutral plasmas are produced by photoionizing laser cooled atoms just above the ionization threshold. A significant fraction of the proposed research will thus involve characterizing the dynamics of the charged particles. Absorption imaging, a diagnostic recently demonstrated with ultracold plasmas, will make this possible. The broader impact involves education of both graduate and undergraduate students, commitments to diversity and coupling of AMO physics with plasma physics.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Physics (PHY)
Application #
0355069
Program Officer
Robert Dunford
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2004-04-15
Budget End
2008-03-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$401,941
Indirect Cost
Name
Rice University
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77005