New Zealand physicists split and collide ultracold atom clouds

Physicists from New Zealands' University of Otago have pushed the frontiers of quantum technology by developing a steerable 'optical tweezers' unit that uses intense laser beams to precisely split minute clouds of ultracold atoms.

Here the researchers use the technology to split a single ultracold cloud of rubidium atoms sequentially into 32 daughter clouds, spreading them out over nearly half a centimetre.

(Photo Credit: Niels Kjaergaard)

Physicists from New Zealands' University of Otago have pushed the frontiers of quantum technology by developing a steerable 'optical tweezers' unit that uses intense laser beams to precisely split a cloud of ultracold rubidium atoms in two and then collide the halves together at a pedestrian pace.

(Photo Credit: Niels Kjaergaard)

Source: University of Otago