Grating magneto optical trap

1. A two-dimensional grating magneto optical trap (2D GMOT), comprising:

a single input light beam having its direction along a first axis, its width along a second axis that is normal to the first axis, and a substantially flat input light beam intensity profile extending across its width;

a quadrupole magnetic field with its magnitude being zero along a third axis that is normal to both the first and second axes and centered at the center of the input light beam's width;

a diffraction-grating surface positioned normal to the first axis, composed of closely adjacent parallel grooves spread across the width and run parallel to the third axis, and configured to:

diffract first-order light beams that intersect within an intersection plane that lies within a plane defined by the first and second axis, and

suppresses reflections and diffractions of all other orders;

wherein the cold atom beam exits the 2D GMOT along the third axis.

2. The 2D GMOT of claim 1 , wherein each of the diffracted first-order light beam's intensity is between 40 and 60% of the input light beam's intensity.

3. The magneto-optical trap of claim 1 , wherein the diffraction-grating surface is comprised of two diffraction-grating surfaces separated by a gap formed by the separation between the two diffraction-grating surfaces, the gap extending parallel to the third axis and centered, relative to the second axis but not the first axis, at the center of the intersection plane.

4. The magneto-optical trap of claim 1 , wherein the input light beam or the diffracted first-order light beams has a vector component that is parallel to the third axis.

5. The 2D GMOT of claim 1 , further comprising a three-dimensional magneto optical trap (3D GMOT) fed by the cold atom beam exiting the 2D GMOT.

6. The 2D and 3D GMOT of claim 5 , wherein the 3D GMOT comprises:

a single input light beam having its direction along a first axis, an area along a second and third axis that are both normal to the first axis, and a substantially flat input light beam intensity profile extending across its area;

first, second, third, and fourth diffraction-grating surfaces:

each surface positioned normal to the first axis and extending along the second and third axis,

the first, second, third, and fourth surfaces intersecting and arranged to form a gap therebetween;

each surface composed of closely adjacent parallel grooves, the grooves of the first and third diffraction-grating surfaces running parallel to the second axis, the grooves of the second and fourth diffraction-grating surfaces running parallel to the third axis, and

the first, second, third, and fourth diffraction-grating surfaces configured to:

diffract first-order light beams that intersect within an intersection region that lies directly above the gap, and

suppresses reflections and diffractions of all other orders; and

a quadrupole magnetic field with its magnitude being zero within the intersection region.

7. The 2D and 3D GMOT of claim 6 , wherein each of the diffracted first-order light beam's intensity is between 15 and 35% of the input light beam's intensity.

8. The 2D and 3D GMOT of claim 6 , wherein the first, second, third, and fourth diffraction grating surface is a single circular diffraction grating surface with closely adjacent grooves arranged concentrically around a gap formed in the center of the single circular diffraction grating surface.

9. A method of providing a two-dimensional grating magneto optical trap (2D GMOT), comprising:

directing a single input light beam having its direction along a first axis, its width along a second axis that is normal to the first axis, and a substantially flat input light beam intensity profile extending across its width;

providing a quadrupole magnetic field with its magnitude being zero along a third axis that is normal to both the first and second axes and centered at the center of the input light beam's width;

providing a diffraction-grating surface positioned normal to the first axis, composed of closely adjacent parallel grooves spread across the width and running parallel to the third axis, and configured to:

diffract first-order light beams that intersect within an intersection plane that lies within a plane defined by the first and second axis, and

suppresses reflections and diffractions of all other orders; and

directing the cold atom beam from the intersection plane along the third axis.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the diffracted first-order light beam's intensity is between 40 and 60% of the input light beam's intensity.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein providing the diffraction-grating surface comprises providing a diffraction-grating surface that is comprised of two diffraction-grating surfaces separated by a gap formed by the separation between the two diffraction-grating surfaces, the gap extending parallel to the third axis and centered, relative to the second axis but not the first axis, at the center of the intersection plane.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising directing cold atom beam flowing along the third axis and feeding into a 3D GMOT.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the input light beam or the diffracted first-order light beams has a vector component that is parallel to the third axis.

14. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

providing a second, single input light beam having its direction along a fourth axis, an area along a fifth and sixth axis that are both normal to the fourth axis, and a substantially flat input light beam intensity profile extending across its area;

providing second, third, fourth, and fifth diffraction-grating surfaces:

each of the second, third, fourth, and fifth diffraction-grating surfaces positioned normal to the fourth axis and extending along the fifth and sixth axis,

the of the second, third, fourth, and fifth diffraction-grating surfaces intersecting and arranged to form a gap therebetween;

each of the second, third, fourth, and fifth diffraction-grating surfaces composed of closely adjacent parallel grooves, the grooves of the second and fourth diffraction-grating surfaces running parallel to the fifth axis, the grooves of the third and fifth diffraction-grating surfaces running parallel to the sixth axis, and

the second, third, fourth, and fifth diffraction-grating surfaces configured to:

diffract first-order light beams that intersect within an intersection region that lies directly above the gap, and

suppresses reflections and diffractions of all other orders;

providing a quadrupole magnetic field with its magnitude being zero within the intersection region;

wherein the cold atom beam traveling along the third axis enters into and is trapped within the intersection region.