Atomic beam control apparatus and method

摘要

An atomic beam control apparatus controls a position of an atomic beam that passes through a multi-pole magnetic field by irradiating the atomic beam with a light beam. The apparatus includes a probe light generator to generate probe light to detect a position of the atomic beam, a light sensor to receive the probe light, and a current control section to control a current flowing in multi-pole magnetic field generating electrodes controlling the position of the atomic beam. The light beam irradiates the atomic beam so that the atomic beam interacts with both the light beam and the magnetic field, and the position of the atomic beam is controlled by controlling currents fed to the multiple-pole magnetic field generating electrodes based on output values of the light sensor receiving the probe light.