High densities of cold atoms in a dark spontaneous-force optical trap
Abstract
A new magneto-optical trap is demonstrated which confines atoms predominantly in a ``dark'' hyperfine level, that does not interact with the trapping light. This leads to much higher atomic densities as repulsive forces between atoms due to rescattered radiation are reduced and trap loss due to excited-state collisions is diminished. In such a trap, more than 1010 sodium atoms have been confined to densities approaching 1012 atoms cm-3.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- April 1993
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.70.2253
- Bibcode:
- 1993PhRvL..70.2253K
- Keywords:
-
- Atomic Excitations;
- Magneto-Optics;
- Quantum Optics;
- Traps;
- Wave Scattering;
- Atomic Interactions;
- Kinetic Energy;
- Laser Beams;
- Radiation Pressure;
- Physics (General);
- 32.80.Pj;
- Optical cooling of atoms;
- trapping