In this work I report on the development of a Magneto Optic Trap (MOT) for metastable
helium atoms (He*). The metastable helium atoms are produced in a discharge nozzle
source and collimated, slowed and compressed to provide a slow bright beam for loading
the trap. The trap confines approximately 107 atoms, has a diameter of about 3 mm and with temperature approximately 1 mK. The trap is used for intra-trap and electron-atom scattering experiments. The results from these two experiments are reported. The electron scattering experiment is unique and employs a He* MOT for the first time, in combination with a new diagnostic technique (Phase Modulation Spectroscopy) to measure the trap loss. The results of these experiments have yielded the first total electron-metastable atom collision cross section measurements at intermediate (10-100 eV) electron energies.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/216807 |
| Date | January 2006 |
| Creators | Colla, Massimiliano, Max.Colla@anu.edu.au |
| Publisher | The Australian National University. Faculty of Science |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.anu.edu.au/legal/copyrit.html), Copyright Massimiliano Colla |
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