scholarly journals Calculating Trajectories for Atoms in Near-resonant Lightfields

1999 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 493 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. Scholten ◽  
T. J. O'Kane ◽  
T. R. Mackin ◽  
T. A. Hunt ◽  
P. M. Farrell

We review several methods for calculating the time development of the internal state and the external motion of atoms in near-resonant light fields, with emphasis on studying the focussing of atomic beams into microscopic and potentially nanoscopic patterns. Three different approaches are considered: two-level semiclassical, multi-level semiclassical, and the Monte Carlo wavefunction method. The two-level semiclassical technique of McClelland and Scheinfein (1991) and McClelland (1995) is extended to three dimensions, and used to calculate the trajectories of atoms and the imaging properties of a simple lens formed from a near-resonant travelling TEM01 mode laser. The model is then extended to multi-level atoms, where we calculate the density matrix for the internal state of a sample of thermal atoms in a standing wave, and show how cooling processes can be simulated. Finally, we use the Monte Carlo wavefunction method to calculate the internal state of the atom, and compare the results and required computation time to those of the multi-level semiclassical technique.

Author(s):  
M F Islam ◽  
F Jahra

This paper presents the outcome of a numerical simulation based research program to evaluate the propulsive characteristics of puller and pusher podded propulsors in a straight course and at static azimuthing conditions while operating in open water. Methodologies to predict the propeller thrust and torque, and pod forces and moments in three dimensions using a Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) solver at multiple azimuthing conditions and pod configurations are presented. To obtain insight into the reliability and accuracy of the results, grid and time step dependency studies are conducted for a podded propulsor in straight-ahead condition. The simulation techniques and results are first validated against measurements of a bare propeller and a podded propulsor in straight ahead condition for multiple loading scenarios and in both puller and pusher configurations. Next, simulations were carried out to model the podded propulsors in the two configurations at multiple loading conditions and at various azimuthing angles from +30° to –30° in 15° increments. The majority of the simulations are carried out using both steady state and unsteady state conditions, primarily to evaluate the effect of setup conditions on the computation time and prediction accuracy. The predicted performance characteristics of the pod unit using the unsteady RANS method were within 1% to 5% of the corresponding experimental measurements for all the loading conditions, azimuthing angles and pod configurations studied. The non-linear behaviour of the performance coefficients of the pod unit are well captured at various loading and azimuthing conditions in the predicted results. This study demonstrates that the RANS solver, with proper meshing arrangement, boundary conditions and setup techniques can predict the performance characteristics of the podded propulsor in multiple azimuthing angles, pod configurations and in the various loading conditions with a same level of accuracy as experimental results. Additionally, the velocity and pressure distributions on and around the pod-strut- propeller bodies are discussed as derived from the RANS predictions.


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