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arXiv:1409.2519 · Physical Review A

Three-dimensional laser cooling at the Doppler limit

R. Chang, A. L. Hoendervanger, Quentin Bouton, Y. Fang, T. Klafka, Kévin Audo, Alain Aspect, Christoph Ira Westbrook, David Clément

Published Dec 1, 2014• 30 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Predictions of the Doppler theory of laser cooling are quantitatively verified for the first time using helium atoms, for which the special atomic properties, particularly its small mass and narrow transition linewidth, inhibit sub-Doppler cooling mechanisms.
DOI
10.1103/physreva.90.063407

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Based on the numerical solution of the quantum kinetic equation for the atomic density matrix, which makes it possible to accurately take into account the recoil effects in the interaction of atoms with field photons, we have studied the limits of laser cooling of atoms using closed optical transitions characterised by different recoil parameters (the ratio of the recoil energy to the natural linewidth). It is shown that for optical transitions with an insufficiently small recoil parameter, the polarisation effects, which lead to the possibility of sub-Doppler laser cooling, lose their efficiency and do not ensure an attainment of the temperature below the Doppler limit. The analysis performed allows one to outline the boundaries of the sub-Doppler theory of laser cooling of atoms.
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