US Patent 10278275 Grating magneto optical trap

A two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D GMOT) that is configured to produce a cold-atom beam exiting the 2D GMOT is disclosed. In embodiments, the 2D GMOT is configured to feed a three-dimensional GMOT with the cold atom beam. In embodiments, the 2D GMOT includes an input light beam having its direction along a first axis, its width along a second axis, normal to the first axis, and a substantially flat input light beam intensity profile. 2D GMOT may further includes a quadrupole magnetic field with its magnitude being zero along a third axis that is centered at the center of the input light beam's width. The 2D GMOT may also include a diffraction-grating surface positioned normal to the first axis, composed of closely adjacent parallel grooves spread across the width and run parallel to the third axis.