Harvard University Department of Physics

Atom waveguides made using magnetizable materials allow us to continuously change the geometry of a cold atom gas from a sample that is nearly spherical to a sample that is a long thin line with an aspect ratio of more than 1000:1 between its long and short dimensions. This control allows us to determine changes in atomic properties that occur as samples become more one dimensional. We have shown that one dimensional samples have higher optical gain, lower temperature, and higher phase space density than corresponding three dimensional samples, offering exciting scientific and technological opportunities.