ATOMIC 2S->3P TRANSITION FOR PRODUCTION AND INVESTIGATION OF A FERMIONIC LITHIUM QUANTUM GAS

Abstract

In this thesis, the all-optical production of a lithium 6 quantum gas based on laser cooling on the 2S-3P transition is described. The magneto-optical trap on this transition is studied and optimized, resulting in high phase-space densities. These conditions facilitate a direct and efficient loading of a large-volume crossed optical dipole trap at a moderate laser power. The same trapping configuration is used for near-adiabatic transport of the atomic cloud into a glass cell, for evaporative cooling and for the production of a molecular BEC.

For a photoassociation spectroscopy measurement to investigate long-range molecular states correlated to the 2S-3P asymptote, an ion detection system was implemented in the experimental setup. In a measurement performed a MOT, no spectroscopic features were observed. A calculation of the free-to-bound transition strength is presented in order to analyze the negative result and to evaluate the prospect for future investigations.