U.S. physicists report they can now control the speed of a beam of helium atoms using an ‘atomic paddle.’
Scientists at the University of Texas at Austin said their technique could someday be used to better investigate microscopic surfaces or create advanced navigation systems.
Mark Raizen and colleagues at the university’s Centre for Non-linear Dynamics created the slow helium beams using a yard-long, rapidly spinning titanium blade tipped with silicon wafers that Raizen calls an atomic paddle.
The team pumped puffs of super-cooled helium gas into a vacuum chamber containing the paddle using supersonic beam technology developed by Professor Uzi Even of Tel Aviv University. The paddle’s silicon wafers reflected the helium atoms much like a glass mirror reflects a beam of light.
... to continue reading you must be subscribed
