Ion-Imaging Tip

Current Students: Bineet Dash
Alumni (graduation year): Michael Viray (2021), Nithiwadee Thaicharoen (2017), Stephanie Miller (2017), Andrew Schwarzkopf (2013)

Using ion imaging technique, we are studying spatial structures in cold quantum gases. The TIP (tip imaging probe) is a needle-shaped electrode that can produce a strong radial electric field. When combined with a micro-channel plate (MCP), it can produce spatially resolved ion images. Several research directions include:

Correlations and long-range interactions between Rydberg atoms

We observed spatial correlations, made measurements of the dipole blockade, and measured the strength of van der Waals interactions in Rydberg-atom systems.

Experimentally measured correlation function for the indicated detunings from resonance with 59S1/2 state in 85Rb without (a) and with [(b)-(d)] optical dipole trap (ODT) [from here]

Cold neutral and charged plasmas

The TIP is also being used to study structures in expanding cold neutral and non-neutral plasmas. So far we have observed shock fronts and nearest-neighbor ion correlations, and more plasma experiments are on their way.

Images of plasma on the MCP plane for the indicated expansion times [from here]

Future directions

The imaging system could be used to study other spatial structures as well. For example, we could also look at:

Recent Publications