Laser Cooling and Trapping of 6Li: Experimental Tools for Many-Body Fermionic Dynamics and Ring Trap

Abstract

This thesis delves into the laser cooling and trapping of 6Li, a fermionic atom, with the aimof creating experimental tools for the exploration of many-body fermionic dynamics in quantum degeneracy, specifically within ring traps. We provide an overview of 6Li properties, the theoretical underpinnings of many-body fermionic dynamics in cold atom traps, and the principles of AC Stark shift in far-off-resonance light fields. Our experimental apparatus, capable of trapping Yb and Li, and completed experiments on YbLi Magnetic Feshbach Resonance (MFR) and Yb bosonic dynamics are detailed, along with technical adaptations for laser cooling and trapping of 6Li towards a single-species Fermi condensate. We discuss our sub-Doppler cooling system, magnetic field stabilization method, and progress towards quantum degeneracy, as well as a developed method of optical pulses to induce dynamics in the paired Fermi condensate. Our work on ring traps and entrainment, including the development of a ring beam setup using a Digital Micromirror Device (DMD), is also elaborated. The thesis concludes by underscoring the significance of our developments in the context of many-body fermionic dynamics in quantum degeneracy and the use of ring traps for studying dual-superfluid systems, contributing to the broader field of ultracold atomic physics.