ABSTRACT:This thesis describes the design and construction of an experimental apparatus used for magneto-optical trapping and the use of this apparatus to investigate the viability of using distributed feedback lasers for cooling and trapping research. The trap is designed to be simple and robust so that it can be incorporated into the Duke Physics Advanced Laboratory course. Using this apparatus, we have produced ultracold 87 Rb atoms with temperatures of order 10 mK. In addition, we have observed ultracold atoms while using distributed feedback lasers to drive the trap, demonstrating that these lasers can successfully be used for cooling and trapping experiments.
Here is the complete thesis in PDFL: Senko Thesis