Laser Cooling of Neutral Atoms
Abstract
A new cooling process was discovered that uses an applied magnetic field to mix differentially light shifted atomic ground state sublevels. It seems to be another form of the polarization scrambling molasses that was appropriate for the ultra-cold measurements on the three dimensional Na molasses at the NBS last year, except that this is a one-dimensional )or perhaps two- dimensional) version. Optical collimation experiments were performed in two dimensions to make a very intense beam of atoms. Measuring a beam profile in two dimensions would require two hot wires scanning in perpendicular directions, and any asymmetry in the line shape could produce ambiguity. It is therefore very desirable to have a neutral atom imaging device. Diode Laser Experiments; High Vacuum System for trap and Molasses; magnetic Trapping of Neutral Atoms; Trapping Metastable Helium; the earliest experiments on optical pumping of helium there has been interest in generating light to excite the first resonance transition from the metastable 2 3S1 state to the 2/3P(O,1,2) states (lifetime tau approx 95 nsec). For 25 years these experiments were done with light from resonance lamps, but the advent of LNA in 1985 provided the opportunity for laser excitation of this important transition.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA214440
Entities
People
- Harold Metcalf
Organizations
- Stony Brook University