Specialized fiber collimators

Cooling and trapping atoms using specially developed fiber collimators

by Anja Krischke, Michael Schulz, Christian Knothe and Ulrich Oechsner

Fig. 1.
Fiber collimator with elliptical beam profile.

The general interest in the investigation of ultra-cold atoms and their distinct
features has been constantly growing over the last decades [1]. Whereas in the
beginning the process of cooling down presented the major challenge, now the
extraordinary features of these ultra-cold systems - for example Bose-Einstein-
Condensation - motivate researchers world-wide to look closer than ever. Using
fiber-optic equipment has been proven to be a powerful tool for these experiments
that profit from the increased stability and convenience. The large variety of
requirements e.g. on the collimation for the different quantum optics experiments is
resembled in the number of specially designed fiber collimators (Fig.1).
These include fiber collimators with integrated quarter-wave plate for the direct
generation of circularly polarized light or anamorphic optics to produce elliptical
beams.

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Both the cooling processes and the experimental collimation focal length is determined by the beam
investigations themselves highly rely on the diameters required by the experiment and can be
successful manipulation of atoms by light. This calculated from the nominal NA (commonly defined
imposes strict requirements on the quality and by the manufacurer on the 1 - 5%-level of the
stability of the equipment used. A widely used Gaussian beam) or with better accuracy by using
effective cooling and trapping method is the the effective fiber NAe2 [5] of the fiber and the target
magneto-optical trap (MOT). A MOT requires highly beam diameter (both defined on the 13.5% or 1/
frequency-stabilized, narrow width laser radiation to e2-level). Focal lengths from 2.7 mm up to 200 mm
be launched into a vacuum chamber from up to six for example when using a fiber with NAe2 0.09 (or
different directions. There are different type of MOTs, nom. NA 0.11) can produce beam diameters ranging
e.g. Rubidium MOTs (working wavelength 780 nm), from 0.5 mm to 36 mm. An integrated tilt mechanism
potassium (767 nm) or strontium- only to name a few. allows the alignment of the beam axis to the optical
axis, avoiding diffraction arising from a clipped beam
The beam delivery can be achieved by using a fiber and vignetting of the collimated beam. If desired the
port cluster [2, 3], a compact opto-mechanical unit collimators can be made from amagnetic titanium.
that splits the radiation from one or more polarization-
maintaining (PM) fibers (Polarization Extinction
Ratio, PER >26 dB at 780 nm) into one or multiple Fiber Collimators with integrated
output polarization-maintaining fiber cables with high quarter-wave plate
efficiency and variable splitting ratio [4]. Fiber port
clusters often utilize a cascade of rotary half-wave The circularly polarized radiation required for the
plates in combination with polarization beam splitters cooling and trapping mechanism in the MOTs can
as radiation splitting mechanism. be provided by using fiber collimators with directly
integrated quarter-wave plates (Fig. 2).
The polarization-maintaining fiber optics serves as
a defined interface between the laser and the very The retardation plate is integrated into the divergent
sensitive environment of the experiment. The physical beam and can be rotated with respect to the linear
separation enables a mechanical and thermal input polarization producing right-handed as well as
decoupling, avoiding any negative mutual impacts - left-handed circular polarization.
both on the laser source and the experiment.
Analyzation of the polarization states that are
Upon exiting the polarization-maintaining singlemode produced during the rotation can for example
fiber the diverging Gaussian beam is collimated and be made using a Polarization Analyzer [6] that
launched into the vacuum chamber. The optimal continuously maps the current state of polarization on

Fig. 2.
Fiber collimators with integrated quarter-wave plate. Right-handed as well as left-handed
circular polarization can be produced by rotating the quarter-wave plate using a special
tool. The rotation corresponds to a figure-of-eight on the Poincaré sphere.

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a Poincaré sphere. In this representation linear states quarter-wave plate placed into a diverging beam that
of polarization are located on the equator whereas exits a fiber with nom. NA 0.11, the incidence angle
circularly polarized light is located on the poles. (5%-level) ranges from ± 6.2°. For such small angles
the change in retardance as a function of incidence
As can be seen in Fig. 2 a full rotation of the quarter- angle is minimal and can often be neglected or
wave plate corresponds to a figure-of-eight on the corrected for.
Poincaré sphere. At the poles, circularly polarized
light is produced with right-handed circular
polarization located at the north pole, and left-handed Dichroic fiber collimators
polarization located at the south pole. If the actual
retardation of the optics deviates from the desired Some MOTs e.g. strontium MOTs are operated
value then the extreme values do not reach the poles. with multiple input wavelengths. If the wavelength
difference needed is so large that the radiation cannot
The properties of the retardation optics used within be transmitted by one single PM fiber, dichroic fiber
the fiber collimators play an important role for the collimators are used for collimation.
quality of the outcome polarization. Possible error
sources include temperature variations, different The optical scheme (Fig. 3) shows the two input laser
angles of incidence, as well as wavelength variations. beam couplers that collimate the input beams, the
Zero-order, low order, multiple order or compound dichroic beam combination and the expansion of the
zero-order wave plates are available that all exhibit a single collimated beam. Even for these collimators it
different susceptibility to these error sources. is possible to generate circularly polarized beams by
the use of appropriate dichroic quarter-wave plates
The change in retardance as a function of wavelength that generate circularly polarized beams for both
as well the change in retardance as a function of wavelengths simultaneously.
temperature both is directly proportional to the
total retardance of the wave plate itself. Thus true
zero order, compound zero order or low order wave Elliptical fiber collimators
plates typically are less sensitive to temperature or
wavelength variations compared with multiple order In the special case of a dipole trap, laser beams
wave plates (retardance >1). with an elliptical cross-section are required. This
is achieved by fiber collimators with integrated
True zero order wave plates additionally are often anamorphic beam expanders, producing beams with
least sensitive to variations in incidence angle. For a an elliptical aspect ratio of up to 3:1, see Fig. 4.

PM-Fiber

Input 1
laser beam coupler

PM-Fiber
Expansion optics Dichroic beam Input 2
combiner laser beam coupler

Fig. 3.
Dichroic fiber collimator. The two input beams are collimated, then combined using a
dichroic beam combiner and finally expanded to the desired beam diameter.

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Output Telescope for Anamorphotic Collimation PM-Fiber Input rotationally

elliptical beam expansion optics lens symmetric
beam profile beam profile

Fig. 4.
Fiber collimators with integrated anamorphic beam shaping optics to produce a
collimated Gaussian beam with elliptical cross-section. These fiber collimators are used in
dipole traps.

Here the beam is first collimated and then one beam References
axis is expanded and recollimated using both a
[1] W. Ketterle - Nobel Lecture: When Atoms Behave
positive and negative cylinder lens. Finally the beam
as Waves: Bose-Einstein Condensation and the Atom
is expanded to the desired value using a telescope. If
Laser“. Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2013. Web. 9 Mar
needed, a quarter-wave plate can be integrated into
2014. <http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/
these fiber collimators as well.
laureates/2001/ketterle-lecture.html>

[2] G. Varoquaux et al. I.C.E., An ultra-cold atom source for

Conclusion long-baseline interferometric inertial sensors in reduced
gravity, arXiv: 0705.2922 (2007)
Using fiber optics can significantly enhance stability [3] T. Könemann et al., A freely falling magneto-optical trap
and convenience of measurement setups. For MOTs drop tower experiment, Applied Physics B: Lasers and
the different beams needed can be delivered using Optics 89 (4), 431 (2007)
a fiber port cluster - a compact and stable modular
unit that splits the radiation into multiple polarization- [4] Schäfter+Kirchhoff GmbH, Optomechanics for
maintaining fibers. demanding fiber optic applications, https://www.
sukhamburg.com/support/technotes/fiberoptics/multicube/
In order to meet the various different requirements art_cluster.html
and high demands of the different experiments a large [5] Schäfter+Kirchhoff GmbH, Fiber Coupling to Polarization-
variety of fiber collimators was specially designed Maintaining Fibers and Collimation, https://www.
including collimators with integrated quarter- wave sukhamburg.com/support/technotes/fiberoptics/coupling/
plate, dichroic collimators or collimators that produce couplingsm/art_fibercouplingnae2.html
an elliptical beam profile.
[6] Schäfter+Kirchhoff GmbH, Polarization Analyzer for
fiber optics and free beam applications, https://www.
sukhamburg.com/support/technotes/fiberoptics/SK010PA/
art_poarizationanalyzer.html

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