What is the difference between cold ion and cold neutral atom research?
Technology: The laser wavelengths needed to excited the valence electron in most ions are in the ultraviolet range, as opposed to the visible range for neutrals, making laser-manipulation of ions more challenging (and expensive). Confinement: Ions are confined much more strongly in their traps than neutral atoms. Is is nearly impossible to knock a trapped ion out of the trap, unless you kill the power. Furthermore, ions are routinely confined to a space of under 10 nanometers, allowing great control of its motion. At the same time, ions do not get close to one another, due to their strong Coulomb repulsion. Thus, quantum statistical properties (deriving from the indistinguishability of atoms) do not play a significant role in the dynamics of trapped ions, and there is no BEC of trapped ions. Ions and neutrals are somewhat complementary: neutrals come in large numbers and weakly interact with the surroundings (and eachother), while cold ions interact so strongly with one another that th
