Dec 2024: First light!

The lab achieved first light! We successfully imaged atoms in our 3d magneto-optical trap using our newly completed computer control system and working shutters. Attempted molasses tests revealed an issue with the 3d MOT beam profiles - but that is an easy fix!

Aug 28, 2024: ExpandQISE is here!

The National Science Foundation awarded Dr. Mossman a new award titled "ExpandQISE: Track 1: Quantum Analog Simulation with Bose-Einstein Condensates in Flexible Light Fields" which will allow her to increase the capabilities for the experimental apparatus at USD, help build strong connections between academia and industry, and allow for the development of student exchange programs and a public-facing quantum seminar series in San Diego. This award was granted with co-PI Peter Engels from Washington State University and will provide funding for 3 years. 

See the NSF announcement here, and the USD College of Arts and Sciences announcement here.

June 26 - July 3, 2024: Andrew and Mark go to WSU

Recent graduate Andrew Jockelle and senior student Mark Gin traveled for a week to Washington State University to work on independent research projects, experience working in an R1 university lab, and network. Andrew continued to develop the computer control system and Mark learned all about chiller systems for actively cooling hot current-carrying coils for magnetic fields. In addition to this, both Mark and Andrew participated in the taking of data on a new project for understanding quantum hydrodynamic flow profiles!

May 18, 2024: First 3D MOT!

After doing some magnetic field calculatings and winding some makeshift coils for a weak quadrupole field, we had an even more exciting milestone in the lab: we extended our dimensionality by one to achieve a 3D magneto-optical trap! This system was designed and built by Michael Galik during his summer 2023 research. We are another step closer to condensates! See Instagram update here.

May 16, 2024: First 2D MOT!

As a huge milestone in the lab, we achieved the first cold atoms at University of San Diego. After a year of dealing with vacuum issues, we were able to cool our first rubidium-87 atoms in a 2D magneto-optical trap - desgined and built by Judith Gonzales Sorribes during her time in the lab. This is the first stage of cooling as we drive to lower temperatures.  See Instagram update here.

Feb-Apr 2024: ...another low temperature bakeout

After replacing the broken valve, and performing some helium leak tests, we re-wrapped the apparatus to perform a low-temperature bakeout (version 3).

Feb 20, 2024: Dr. Mossman presents at the Humanities Center

Dr. Mossman presented a public lecture entitled Understanding the physics of cold… from classical to quantum for the Frozen Realms Lecture Series at the USD Humanities Center. 

Feb 14 2024: Dr. Mossman name a 2024 Cottrell Scholar

Dr. Mossman has been named a 2024 Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement, a great honor. This award, Cloud-based investigations of quantum turbulence in ultracold atomic gases, will focus on utilizing cloud-based cold atom apparatuses for both turbulence research and hands-on student educational experiences. As a part of this fellowship, Mossman will be developing a new class on quantum technologies that will begin Fall 2025. See program page for more information and news story from USD.

Feb 10, 2024: ... the vacuum is broken again :(

When attempting to close off her system to remove the turbo pump, the all metal valve on the system underwent a large *crack* noise and we lost vacuum. We are again sad for this loss of vacuum - but we have a way forward once more! (AMV replaced March 5)

Feb 5, 2024: First signals of Rb-87 in the lab!

A big day for QHL, as we have the first confirmed signals of Rb-87 fluorescence in our vacuum system! It took perhaps 8 days of cooking the ampoule at between 60-100 deg C before enough of the atoms made their way around the corners of the system to make it into the main 2D MOT chamber, but we have first atoms! Instagram update here.

Nov 15, 2023: A new publication in Nature from the CAL Collaboration

A new work has been published through the Cold Atom Lab collaboration on Quantum Gas Mixtures and Dual-Species Atom Interferometry in Space. The observation of the mixture in space between rubidium 87 and potassium 41 atoms is the first observation of its kind in microgravity! 

E. R. Elliot, D. C. Aveline, N. P. Bigelow, P. Boegel, S. Botsi, E. Charron, J. P. D’Incao, P. Engels, T. Estrampes, N. Gaaloul, J. R. Kellogg, J. M. Kohel, N. E. Lay, N. Lundblad, M. Meister, M. E. Mossman, G. Müller, K. Oudrhiri, L. E. Phillips, A. Pichery, E. M. Rasel, C. A. Sackett, M. Sbroscia, W. P. Schleich, R. J. Thompson, J. R. Williams, “Quantum Gas Mixtures and Dual-Species Atom Interferometry in Space,” Nature 623, 502-508 (2023).

Oct - Dec 2023: Another low temperature bakeout

After replacing the broken vacuum part and replacing the rubidium ampoule, we re-wrapped the apparatus to perform a low-temperature bakeout (version 2).

Oct 4-6, 2023: The Regional APS Meeting

Undergraduate researchers and 2023 SURE Scholars David Vera and Michael Galik presented at the APS Far West Section meeting on their summer SURE projects. This was both David and Michael's first poster session! Dr. Mossman gave a contributing talk on atom interferometric imaging. 

Sept 11-15: Mossman travels to Spain

Dr. Mossman traveled across the world to attend the 2023 BEC Meeting in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Spain - the most prestigious meeting in her field. While there, she presented a poster with an overview of her work using atom lasers to measure optical and magnetic potentials.

August 1-2, 2023: Drs. Mossman travel to Wallops

Both Drs. Mossman traveled to Virginia to Wallops Flight Facility to witness the launch of NG-19 Resupply Mission Launch. This Antares rocket held the next generation of the Cold Atom Lab, SM3B. As a part of their trip, Dr. Maren Mossman was interviewed by NASA. Additionally, both Drs enjoyed many disc golf opportunities as they drove around the region and were able to celebrate their 10 year wedding anniversary in style. 

July 2023: ... and the vacuum is broken :(

After attempting to ensure the rubidium ampoule was broken, Dr. Mossman accidentally created a leak in the vacuum system. We are sad, but have determined the best path forward!

June 28, 2023: A new paper published in PRL!

Our work, Atom interferometric imaging of differential potentials using an atom laser was published in Physical Review Letters, the top journal for physics research.  This work was done in collaboration with researchers from WSU.

M. E. Mossman, R. A. Corbin, M. M. Forbes & P. Engels, “Atom interferometric imaging of differential potentials using an atom laser,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 130, 263402 (2023).

June 5-9, 2023: The Gang Goes to DAMOP

Undergraduate and postbac researchers, Judith Gonzales Sorribes, Danielle Smith, Dustin Greenwood, and Andrew Jockelle, traveled with Dr. Mossman to Spokane to attend the annual DAMOP meeting. Each researcher presented posters on their respective work and Dr. Mossman presented a contributing talk on localized quantum turbulence. 

April 18, 2023: Creative Collaborations

Undergraduate researcher, Carlo Sanchez, and senior design engineering team led by Andrew Jockelle presented posters on their work at USD's Creative Collaborations poster session for Research Week. Carlo presented on the python-based GUI system he has developed for the lab and the Senior Design team, composed of Andrew Jockelle, Joaquin de Cabanyes Galindo, Rachelle Childers, Matthew Gloriani, Blake Lindemeyer, and Christian Picos, presented on their work on the scripted control system for the lab.

April 13, 2023: Congrats to our 2 SURE Scholars!

Congrats to David Vera and Michael Galik for securing summer funding through the competitive USD Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Scholars Program! David will be continuing his work on the tunable lens system and Michael will be designing and developing the 3D magneto-optical trap optical setup.

March 30, 2023: Almost ready to test for leaks!

Danielle, Judith and Dr. Mossman finished reconnecting the turbo pump and installed the mass spectrometer. Last thing to connect is the ion pump and we are ready to do a Helium leak test!

December 1-10 2022: The one where the Mossmans go to Cambridge with Peter

Dr. Mossman, the other Dr. Mossman, and Dr. Engels traveled to the Isaac Newton Institute at Cambridge for the Dispersive Hydrodynamics Workshop on Physical Applications.

August 8, 2022: First Fiber Coupling in the Lab

Judith learned how to couple laser light into a fiber – making this a first for the lab!

August 4, 2022: The Gang Goes to JPL

The group traveled to Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the 4th anniversary celebration of the launch of the Cold Atom Laboratory. Students were treated to a tour around the JPL campus and mingled with well-known cold-atom researchers!

July 19, 2022: We’ve been framed!

Our exoskeleton frame for the large optics table has been assembled! Thanks to the people at Vention for making this straightforward to assemble.

June 16, 2022: A new canvas arrived in the lab…

We have another optics table! The original table has been rolled down the lab, making room for a 3’x8’x8″ table for the Rb and K optical setups.

Dec 10, 2021: New paper published in Nature Communications

Dr. Mossman and her collaborators at Washington State University published a paper on Gravitational caustics in an atom laser in Nature Communications (open access). Accompanying this publication is a feature article from WSU Insider about the research.

Dec 9, 2021: CBS News Coverage

The Channel 8 CBS San Diego News stopped by the lab to talk about the new CBL Physics Identity Program and the importance of female representation in physics. 

Dec 7, 2021: DPB UG Research Forum

Student researcher Judith Gonazalez Sorribes presented her PHYS 496 research project during the PHYS 400 Poster session. This was Judith’s first ever poster session and she did great work! Judith has been working with Dr. Mossman to design and model the magnetic coils for the 3D magneto-optical trap, which will also serve as the main high gradient magnetic trapping coils for the machine.

Fall Semester, 2021: High temp bake-out

Our stainless steel vacuum chamber has been baking out at 350 degrees Celsius for the last three months. Student researcher Danielle Smith has been the main student monitoring the temperatures and making sure that everything is stable. We will start to turn down the temps once finals are over.

Aug 10-13, 2021: So much progress this week!

The QHL had a distinguished faculty visitor this week. Dr. Engels from Washington State University (and Prof. Mossman’s old boss) came down for some sunshine and to come see the lab. Lots of projects that were close to finished were pushed into completion and we got a ton of firsts in the lab this week!

1. After some debugging, the current driver and temperature controller for the laser is up and running. This allowed us to get first laser light in the lab!
    

2. Once the laser was working, we were then able to set up the Rb-87 spectroscopy and applied our dither boxes (the one that Lee soldered and put together earlier this year) and adjusted our side-lock boxes for laser locking.
   
   

3. Now that we have a working laser system for cooling, we turned our attention to the vacuum system. After finishing putting together the necessary components, we revved up the turbo pump and saw there were no big leaks in the system (turbo revved up to the optimal 1500 Hz rotor spin speed).
     

4. After letting it run for the day, Danielle and Dr. Mossman went about wrapping the machine with heater tape and positioning thermocouples for temperature monitoring. During this time, Carlo Sanchez got the chance to solder for the first time!
     

5. Then it came to the actually wrapping of the machine in layers upon layers of tin foil to keep the heat in and well distributed on the apparatus. With four people focused on completing this task – it went rather quickly! Unfortunately we had to stop at ~75% because we ran out of thermocouples and needed to order more.
    

Thanks to Dr. Engels for his guidance this week!

June 17-18, 2021: UHV Chamber Assembly

Danielle, Lee and Prof. Mossman started assembling the UHV and getting the turbo pump ready for action! In this process, Danielle and Lee learned about proper (and clean) UHV part handling and procedures on attaching components for a UHV system (while rocking out to female power ballads from the 80s). Now we have a *very* heavy stainless steel main chamber assembled! It took all three of us to place it on the optics table – yay, teamwork! Chamber is upside-down in the last image. Everyone is taking off Monday to recognize Juneteenth, but then we are starting back up to assemble the 2D MOT chamber on Tuesday(!!!).

June 9, 2021: Soldering Party

Lee, Danielle Smith and Prof. Mossman had a soldering party to put together a dual temperature controller for our homemade ECDL lasers. We even found a spare Weller soldering iron so that each student could work on different parts! Prof. Mossman was very excited about that.

May 3, 2021: We have power!

Lee and Prof. Mossman finished soldering, putting together, and testing our +/-15 V, +5 V, 1.5 A power supply.

April 1, 2021: Everything is being covered in googley eyes…

As an April Fools joke, Lee put googley eyes on everything and now we have tons of technology staring at us.

Feb 18, 2021: Table is floating and level

Was brought an old compressor by one of the technical staff in the department. After an inspection, necessary replacement of one of the bolts, and some finagling of table adjustments, we plugged it in and now have a floating table!

Dec 15, 2020: Starting to look like a lab!

Ordered my electronics boards from OshPark and started getting some boards made.

Sept 25, 2020: Lab renovations coming together and a new soldering iron to play with

Shelving and hanging racks are coming together in the lab. Tom does beautiful work! I also have compressed air now and no chilled water running over where my tables (and thus optics and electronics) are.

August 19, 2020: “New” Optics Table!

We received our first optics table from UCSD Surplus! It is a used 4’x8’x12″ table that was a bit damaged, dirty and dusty (it was like that before I bought it!), but I spent a good while cleaning the surface and making it presentable. Looking forward to filling it up with optics and lasers!