Comments for Counting Atoms http://steelypips.org/countingatoms One, Two, Many, Lots... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:41:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 Comment on 16 - 1 - 09 Jakub by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2009/01/16/16-1-09-jakub/#comment-8 chad Sat, 17 Jan 2009 22:17:06 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=101#comment-8 Excellent-- that's great news. The thing with the lid does tend to happen-- putting the lid on can cause a slight shift in the laser mount, particularly if you screw the lid down tight. It should still be close to resonance, and a little tweaking will bring it back. Excellent– that’s great news.

The thing with the lid does tend to happen– putting the lid on can cause a slight shift in the laser mount, particularly if you screw the lid down tight. It should still be close to resonance, and a little tweaking will bring it back.

]]> Comment on 11 - 11 - 08 David by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2008/11/11/11-11-08-david/#comment-7 chad Wed, 12 Nov 2008 02:05:37 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=86#comment-7 That happens, when you make large adjustments to the grating. The metal mount flexes as you turn the screws, and if you do a lot of adjusting, it will sort of settle back into place over a day or two. You shouldn't need to do as much adjusting next time, though. That happens, when you make large adjustments to the grating. The metal mount flexes as you turn the screws, and if you do a lot of adjusting, it will sort of settle back into place over a day or two. You shouldn’t need to do as much adjusting next time, though.

]]> Comment on 10 - 27 - 08 David by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2008/10/27/10-27-08-david/#comment-6 chad Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:19:44 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=78#comment-6 The wavemeter had to be sent back for repair. It should be back next week. The other thing that's going to need doing is to get the vacuum stuff turned back on, so we can make metastable atoms to slow with the laser. If you need something to do, that'd be a good thing. At the moment, the turbopump on the source end of the chamber is off, and that end of things is not under vacuum. You can start the mechanical pump on the diffusion pump station, and use that to pump things out in a rough way. The wavemeter had to be sent back for repair. It should be back next week. The other thing that’s going to need doing is to get the vacuum stuff turned back on, so we can make metastable atoms to slow with the laser.

If you need something to do, that’d be a good thing. At the moment, the turbopump on the source end of the chamber is off, and that end of things is not under vacuum. You can start the mechanical pump on the diffusion pump station, and use that to pump things out in a rough way.

]]> Comment on 10 - 9 - 08 David by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2008/10/10/10-9-08-david/#comment-5 chad Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:04:45 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=48#comment-5 The allen wrench is probably on the other laser (the one Jakub is working on). I'll see if I can't find another one, though, so we don't keep having this problem. The allen wrench is probably on the other laser (the one Jakub is working on). I’ll see if I can’t find another one, though, so we don’t keep having this problem.

]]> Comment on 10-02-08 Jakub by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2008/10/02/10-02-08/#comment-4 chad Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:43:25 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=39#comment-4 The exact wavelength will need to be determined by seeing whether the light is absorbed by krypton atoms, in a spectroscopy experiment. As long as you're close to 811.3 nm when you start, it ought to be possible to find the right wavelength. I'll describe how to do it on Tuesday. The exact wavelength will need to be determined by seeing whether the light is absorbed by krypton atoms, in a spectroscopy experiment. As long as you’re close to 811.3 nm when you start, it ought to be possible to find the right wavelength. I’ll describe how to do it on Tuesday.

]]> Comment on 9 - 29 - 08 by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2008/09/29/9-29-08/#comment-3 chad Mon, 29 Sep 2008 23:57:51 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=35#comment-3 I'm not surprised that the temperature didn't have much effect after you attached the grating. The diffraction grating has a much bigger effect on the wavelength than the temperature does. To change the wavelength with the grating in place, you need to change the horizontal tilt on the grating. You should set the temperature at whatever value got you closest to 811.3 nm, and then adjust the grating to reach the wavelength we want. You'll need to re-do the vertical tilt adjustment a couple of times along the way, too. The horizontal and vertical tilt adjustments are not perfectly independent, so as you walk the horizontal tilt, you'll change the vertical a little, as well. I’m not surprised that the temperature didn’t have much effect after you attached the grating. The diffraction grating has a much bigger effect on the wavelength than the temperature does.

To change the wavelength with the grating in place, you need to change the horizontal tilt on the grating. You should set the temperature at whatever value got you closest to 811.3 nm, and then adjust the grating to reach the wavelength we want.

You’ll need to re-do the vertical tilt adjustment a couple of times along the way, too. The horizontal and vertical tilt adjustments are not perfectly independent, so as you walk the horizontal tilt, you’ll change the vertical a little, as well.

]]> Comment on Test Post by chad http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/2008/09/18/test-post-2/#comment-2 chad Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:34:24 +0000 http://steelypips.org/countingatoms/?p=10#comment-2 This is a test of the commenting system. This is a test of the commenting system.

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