Feasibility of studying vortex noise in two-dimensional superconductors with cold atoms

We investigate the feasibility of using ultracold neutral atoms trapped near a thin superconductor to study vortex noise close to the Kosterlitz-Thouless-Berezinskii transition temperature. Alkali atoms such as rubidium probe the magnetic field produced by the vortices. We show that the relaxation time T1 of the Zeeman sublevel populations can be conveniently adjusted to provide long observation times. We also show that the transverse relaxation times T2 for Zeeman coherences are ideal for studying the vortex noise. We briefly consider the motion of atom clouds held close to the surface as a method for monitoring the vortex motion