Provided is a cold atomic beam generation technology that causes a cold atomic beam to travel in a direction different from the traveling direction of a pushing laser beam. The pushing laser beam is used to generate a cold atomic beam from atoms trapped in a space. Next, the cold atomic beam is deflected by using a zero magnetic field line of a quadrupole magnetic field in a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap mechanism or by using a drift direction of a standing light wave in a moving molasses mechanism.

The disclosure describes various aspects of a shed-resistant thermal atom source. More specifically, a thermal atom source is described for uniform thermal flux of target atomic species in which a metal wadding material is used as an intermediary surface for sublimation of the atoms, preventing the source material from shedding or dropping. In an aspect, a thermal atom source may include a container with closed and open ends, and inside a source material near the closed end and a wadding between the source material and the open end; a heater coupled to the closed end; one or more clamps configured to secure the container and the heater; and a current source coupled to the container and the heater to cause a temperature to increase such that a portion of the source material is released and diffuses to the open end through the wadding prior to being emitted as a flux.

The disclosure describes various aspects of a shed-resistant thermal atom source. More specifically, a thermal atom source is described for uniform thermal flux of target atomic species in which a metal wadding material is used as an intermediary surface for sublimation of the atoms, preventing the source material from shedding or dropping. In an aspect, a thermal atom source may include a container with closed and open ends, and inside a source material near the closed end and a wadding between the source material and the open end; a heater coupled to the closed end; one or more clamps configured to secure the container and the heater; and a current source coupled to the container and the heater to cause a temperature to increase such that a portion of the source material is released and diffuses to the open end through the wadding prior to being emitted as a flux.

Method and apparatus for producing a cooled atom beam suitable for use applications requiring cold atoms. A two-stage cooling process is employed in which the atoms in the atom beam are cooled in two, spatially separated regions of a cooling apparatus, wherein the atoms are first cooled in two dimensions by two counterpropagating laser beams under a magnetic field and then are cooled in three dimensions by means of an optical molasses, where the power, frequency, and magnetic fields are tuned to obtain a continuous beam of three-dimensionally cooled atoms having a controllable velocity distribution, very low decoherence, and low background atomic gas loss.

Method and apparatus for producing a cooled atom beam suitable for use applications requiring cold atoms. A two-stage cooling process is employed in which the atoms in the atom beam are cooled in two, spatially separated regions of a cooling apparatus, wherein the atoms are first cooled in two dimensions by two counterpropagating laser beams under a magnetic field and then are cooled in three dimensions by means of an optical molasses, where the power, frequency, and magnetic fields are tuned to obtain a continuous beam of three-dimensionally cooled atoms having a controllable velocity distribution, very low decoherence, and low background atomic gas loss.

Aspects of the present disclosure describe an atomic oven including a cathode, an anode that comprises a source material, and a power supply that provides a voltage between the cathode and the anode, wherein applying the voltage causes multiple electrons from the cathode to ablate the source material from the anode or locally heat the anode to cause source material to evaporate from the anode and, in both case, to produce a stream of ablated or evaporated particles that passes through an opening in the cathode.

An apparatus, method and products thereof provide an accelerated neutral beam derived from an accelerated gas cluster ion beam for processing materials.

An apparatus, method and products thereof provide an accelerated neutral beam derived from an accelerated gas cluster ion beam for processing materials.

An enhanced single particle interferometric reflectance imaging system includes an illumination source configured to produce illumination light along an illumination path toward a target substrate. The target substrate can be configured to reflect the illuminating light along one or more collection paths toward one or more imaging sensors. The target substrate includes a base substrate having a first reflecting surface and a transparent spacer layer having a first surface in contact with the first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface on a side opposite to the first surface. The transparent spacer layer has a predefined thickness that is determined as a function of a wavelength of the illuminating light and produces a predefined radiation pattern of optical scattering when nanoparticles are positioned on or near the second reflective surface. In addition, one or more of the collection paths can also include an amplitude mask selected to match the radiation pattern.

An enhanced single particle interferometric reflectance imaging system includes an illumination source configured to produce illumination light along an illumination path toward a target substrate. The target substrate can be configured to reflect the illuminating light along one or more collection paths toward one or more imaging sensors. The target substrate includes a base substrate having a first reflecting surface and a transparent spacer layer having a first surface in contact with the first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface on a side opposite to the first surface. The transparent spacer layer has a predefined thickness that is determined as a function of a wavelength of the illuminating light and produces a predefined radiation pattern of optical scattering when nanoparticles are positioned on or near the second reflective surface. In addition, one or more of the collection paths can also include an amplitude mask selected to match the radiation pattern.