Hulet, Randall G2022-09-262022-09-262022-052022-04-21May 2022Singh, Bhagwan. "Design of a high numerical aperture vacuum chamber for 3D optical lattice experiments." (2022) Master’s Thesis, Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/113369">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/113369</a>.https://hdl.handle.net/1911/113369The next generation of 3D optical lattice experiments requires a new vacuum chamber design. In the past, a 3D optical lattice apparatus in our lab was used to create and observe antiferromagnetic (AFM) coorelations within a 6Li-based degenerate Fermi gas. In that experiment, implementing anti-trapping beams overlapped with the standard lattice beams allowed the potential landscape to be made smoother, in an effort to increase the spatial extent of the AFM phase. Nevertheless, preparing atoms to be even cooler, and further extending the region of interest requires newer solutions. One method is to use the anti-trapping beams in a slightly different manner. By utilizing a higher numerical aperture optical beam line for anti-trapping, finer adjustments can be made in the potential. Combined with digital-micromirror based holography techniques. the anti-trapping beams can be custom-shaped to carve even finer details into the optical lattice. With sufficient control over beamshaping, one could perform better entropy re-distribution within the atom cloud. In this way, the central AFM region can be made colder by pushing entropy out to the wings. In this thesis, I will detail the work done in analyzing and designing a new chamber to fulfill the previously mentioned features.application/pdfengCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.quantum simulatortrapped atomsoptical latticedegenerate fermi gas3D latticeAFMantiferromagnetismBragg scatteringvacuum chamberatomicThesis2022-09-26