arXiv:1006.5618 · Physical Review A
Efficient two-dimensional subrecoil Raman cooling of atoms in a tripod configuration
Vladimir S. Ivanov, Yu. Rozhdestvensky, Kalle‐Antti Suominen
Abstract
We present an efficient method for subrecoil cooling of neutral atoms by applying Raman cooling in two dimensions to a four-level tripod system. The atoms can be cooled simultaneously in two directions using only three laser beams. We describe the cooling process with a simple model showing that the momentum distribution can be rapidly narrowed to velocity spread down to $0.1{v}_{\mathrm{rec}}$, corresponding to effective temperature equal to $0.01{T}_{\mathrm{rec}}$. This method opens new possibilities for cooling of neutral atoms.