Direct Laser Cooling of Rydberg Atoms with an Isolated-Core Transition
Abstract
We propose a scheme to directly laser cool Rydberg atoms by laser cooling the residual ion core within the Rydberg-electron orbit. The scheme is detailed for alkaline-earth-metal Rydberg atoms, whose ions can be easily laser cooled. We demonstrate that a closed optical cooling cycle can be found despite the perturbations caused by the Rydberg electron and that this cycle can be driven over more than 100 μ s to achieve laser cooling. The cooling dynamics with and without the presence of magnetic fields are discussed in detail.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- May 2024
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.193402
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2402.10075
- Bibcode:
- 2024PhRvL.132s3402B
- Keywords:
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- Physics - Atomic Physics
- E-Print:
- 6 pages, 3 figures