Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Laser Physics

Two-stage laser cooling and optical trapping of thulium atoms

Gulnara A. Vishnyakova, Елена Сергеевна Калганова, Денис Дмитриевич Сукачев, S A Fedorov, А. В. Соколов, Alexey V. Akimov, N. Kolachevsky, В. Н. Сорокин

Published Jun 13, 2014• 19 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We propose to use the magnetic-dipole transition at coupling two ground state fine-structure components of thulium (Tm), as a 'clock transition' in optical clocks. We have demonstrated first stage laser cooling of Tm atoms down to a temperature of 25 K using a strong transition at and we have also shown preliminary results for second stage cooling using a weaker transition at (natural linewidth γ G = 350 kHz). Laser cooled atoms have been trapped in an optical dipole trap and in a 1D optical lattice operating near 532 nm.

DOI
10.1088/1054-660x/24/7/074018

Related papers

Secondary laser cooling and capturing of thulium atoms in traps

Денис Дмитриевич Сукачев, Елена Сергеевна Калганова, А. В. Соколов +5 more

Secondary laser cooling has been realised on the weak dipole transition 4f13(2Fo)6s2, J = 7/2, F=4 → 4f12(3H6) 5d5/26s2, J' = 9/2, F' = 5 with the wavelength of 530.7 nm and natural width of 350 kHz. The temperature of the atomic cloud in a magnetooptical trap (MOT) was 30 μK at the lifetime of 2 s and the number of atoms 105. Approximately 1% of atoms from the MOT have been reloaded to an optical dipole trap and to one-dimensional optical lattice at the wavelength of 532 nm. The atom lifetime in the optical lattice was 320 ms. We propose to employ thulium atoms captured in an optical lattice as an optical frequency reference.

Quantum Electronics•Jun 30, 2014•23 citations

Laser Cooling of Lanthanides: from Optical Clocks to Quantum Simulators

Artem A. Golovizin, Елена Сергеевна Калганова, Gulnara A. Vishnyakova +4 more

We discuss current progress in laser cooling of lanthanides (Er, Yb, Dy, Tm etc.) focusing on applications. We describe some important peculiarities taking Thulium atom as an example: Two stage laser cooling, trapping in an optical lattice, anisotropic interactions and spectroscopy of narrow transitions. Specific level structure and presence of magic wavelengths make ultracold Thulium a favorable candidate for optical clock applications. On the other hand, abundance of Feshbach resonances allow to tune interactions in ultracold gases and thus reach quantum degeneracy. It opens intriguing perspectives for novel quantum simulators employing dipole-dipole interactions in an optical lattice.

EPJ Web of Conferences•Jan 1, 2015•1 citation

Measurement of absolute frequencies of transitions in thulium atoms

Artem A. Golovizin, Dmitry O. Tregubov, M. O. Yaushev +3 more

Clock transition at $1.14 \mu \mathrm{m}$ in neutral thulium is a promising candidate for compact and robust transportable optical clock due to its extremely low sensitivity to external electric and magnetic fields. Cold Tm atoms are now used in optical lattice clocks, quantum simulators and for the study of Bose-Einstein condensation and cold collision physics. In this work, we discuss experimentally measured absolute frequencies of the two transitions at 410.6 nm and 530.7 nm, used for laser cooling of thulium atoms, transition at 418.8 nm used for optical pumping and clock transition at 1140 nm. Using accurate laser spectroscopy in an ensemble of cold thulium atoms, we measured frequencies of these transitions using an optical frequency comb, which was referenced to an active hydrogen maser. Transition frequencies were measured with an uncertainty at one tenth of their natural linewidth, which is sufficient for cooling and pumping of thulium atoms. The uncertainty of the clock transition frequency is 30 Hz, which was limited by the maser frequency calibration with GNSS. Our results can find application in existing experiments with cold thulium atoms and especially in new projects.

International Conference Laser Optics (ICLO)•Jul 1, 2024•0 citations

Two-temperature momentum distribution in a thulium magneto-optical trap

Елена Сергеевна Калганова, Прудников Олег Николаевич, Gulnara A. Vishnyakova +6 more

Second-stage laser cooling of thulium atoms at the 530.7 nm transition with a natural linewidth of 350 kHz offers an interesting possibility to study different regimes of a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The intermediate value of the spectral linewidth of the cooling transition allows the observation of three distinct regimes depending on the intensity and detuning of the cooling beams, namely, the ``bowl-shaped'' regime when light pressure force competes with gravity, the ``double structure'' regime with interplay between the Doppler and polarization-gradient (sub-Doppler) cooling, and the ``symmetric'' regime when Doppler cooling dominates over sub-Doppler cooling and gravity. The polarization-gradient cooling manifests itself by a two-temperature momentum distribution of atoms resulting in a double-structure of the spatial MOT profile consisting of a cold central fraction surrounded by a hot halo. We studied the double structure regime at different saturation parameters and compared observations with calculations based on semiclassical and quantum approaches. The quantum treatment adequately reproduces experimental results if the MOT magnetic field is properly taken into account.

arXiv:1707.02947•Physical Review A•Sep 29, 2017•19 citations

Deep Laser Cooling of Thulium Atoms to Sub-µK Temperatures in Magneto-Optical Trap

Daniil I. Provorchenko, Dmitry O. Tregubov, D. Mishin +6 more

Deep laser cooling of atoms, ions, and molecules facilitates the study of fundamental physics as well as applied research. In this work, we report on the narrow-line laser cooling of thulium atoms at the wavelength of 506.2nm with the natural linewidth of 7.8kHz, which widens the limits of atomic cloud parameters control. Temperatures of about 400nK, phase-space density of up to 3.5×10−4 and 2×106 number of trapped atoms were achieved. We have also demonstrated formation of double cloud structure in an optical lattice by adjusting parameters of the 506.2nm magneto-optical trap. These results can be used to improve experiments with BEC, atomic interferometers, and optical clocks.

arXiv:2303.05804•Atoms•Feb 5, 2023•8 citations

Laser cooling of thulium atoms to ground vibrational state in an optical lattice

Daniil I. Provorchenko, Dmitry O. Tregubov, Artem A. Golovizin +1 more

The method of laser cooling of atoms, first implemented in the early 1980s at the Institute of Spectroscopy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISAN), turned out to be an exceptionally powerful tool that provided revolutionary breakthroughs in such areas as quantum sensorics, the physics of Bose±Einstein and Fermi-condensates, quantum informatics, and many others.It was precisely due to the laser cooling method that atomic fountains Ð the most accurate microwave clocks Ð made their appearance, and impetus was lent to the area of optical frequency standards, which today have surpassed the relative error of 10 À18 .In this review, dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the founding of ISAN, we will present some modern methods and experimental results aimed at the development of optical clocks on thulium atoms.In addition to the review part, the paper demonstrates a new experimental protocol for the preparation of thulium atoms using sideband cooling of the spectrally narrow 506.2-nm transition.Ensembles of atoms in the initial states of clock transitions in the ground vibrational sublevel of the optical lattice have been attained.

Physics-Uspekhi•May 1, 2024•2 citations
We propose to use the magnetic-dipole transition at coupling two ground state fine-structure components of thulium (Tm), as a 'clock transition' in optical clocks. We have demonstrated first stage laser cooling of Tm atoms down to a temperature of 25 K using a strong transition at and we have also shown preliminary results for second stage cooling using a weaker transition at (natural linewidth γ G = 350 kHz). Laser cooled atoms have been trapped in an optical dipole trap and in a 1D optical lattice operating near 532 nm.
Secondary laser cooling has been realised on the weak dipole transition 4f13(2Fo)6s2, J = 7/2, F=4 → 4f12(3H6) 5d5/26s2, J' = 9/2, F' = 5 with the wavelength of 530.7 nm and natural width of 350 kHz. The temperature of the atomic cloud in a magnetooptical trap (MOT) was 30 μK at the lifetime of 2 s and the number of atoms 105. Approximately 1% of atoms from the MOT have been reloaded to an optical dipole trap and to one-dimensional optical lattice at the wavelength of 532 nm. The atom lifetime in the optical lattice was 320 ms. We propose to employ thulium atoms captured in an optical lattice as an optical frequency reference.
We discuss current progress in laser cooling of lanthanides (Er, Yb, Dy, Tm etc.) focusing on applications. We describe some important peculiarities taking Thulium atom as an example: Two stage laser cooling, trapping in an optical lattice, anisotropic interactions and spectroscopy of narrow transitions. Specific level structure and presence of magic wavelengths make ultracold Thulium a favorable candidate for optical clock applications. On the other hand, abundance of Feshbach resonances allow to tune interactions in ultracold gases and thus reach quantum degeneracy. It opens intriguing perspectives for novel quantum simulators employing dipole-dipole interactions in an optical lattice.
Clock transition at 1.14μm1.14 \mu \mathrm{m}1.14μm in neutral thulium is a promising candidate for compact and robust transportable optical clock due to its extremely low sensitivity to external electric and magnetic fields. Cold Tm atoms are now used in optical lattice clocks, quantum simulators and for the study of Bose-Einstein condensation and cold collision physics. In this work, we discuss experimentally measured absolute frequencies of the two transitions at 410.6 nm and 530.7 nm, used for laser cooling of thulium atoms, transition at 418.8 nm used for optical pumping and clock transition at 1140 nm. Using accurate laser spectroscopy in an ensemble of cold thulium atoms, we measured frequencies of these transitions using an optical frequency comb, which was referenced to an active hydrogen maser. Transition frequencies were measured with an uncertainty at one tenth of their natural linewidth, which is sufficient for cooling and pumping of thulium atoms. The uncertainty of the clock transition frequency is 30 Hz, which was limited by the maser frequency calibration with GNSS. Our results can find application in existing experiments with cold thulium atoms and especially in new projects.
Second-stage laser cooling of thulium atoms at the 530.7 nm transition with a natural linewidth of 350 kHz offers an interesting possibility to study different regimes of a magneto-optical trap (MOT). The intermediate value of the spectral linewidth of the cooling transition allows the observation of three distinct regimes depending on the intensity and detuning of the cooling beams, namely, the ``bowl-shaped'' regime when light pressure force competes with gravity, the ``double structure'' regime with interplay between the Doppler and polarization-gradient (sub-Doppler) cooling, and the ``symmetric'' regime when Doppler cooling dominates over sub-Doppler cooling and gravity. The polarization-gradient cooling manifests itself by a two-temperature momentum distribution of atoms resulting in a double-structure of the spatial MOT profile consisting of a cold central fraction surrounded by a hot halo. We studied the double structure regime at different saturation parameters and compared observations with calculations based on semiclassical and quantum approaches. The quantum treatment adequately reproduces experimental results if the MOT magnetic field is properly taken into account.
Deep laser cooling of atoms, ions, and molecules facilitates the study of fundamental physics as well as applied research. In this work, we report on the narrow-line laser cooling of thulium atoms at the wavelength of 506.2nm with the natural linewidth of 7.8kHz, which widens the limits of atomic cloud parameters control. Temperatures of about 400nK, phase-space density of up to 3.5×10−4 and 2×106 number of trapped atoms were achieved. We have also demonstrated formation of double cloud structure in an optical lattice by adjusting parameters of the 506.2nm magneto-optical trap. These results can be used to improve experiments with BEC, atomic interferometers, and optical clocks.
The method of laser cooling of atoms, first implemented in the early 1980s at the Institute of Spectroscopy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ISAN), turned out to be an exceptionally powerful tool that provided revolutionary breakthroughs in such areas as quantum sensorics, the physics of Bose±Einstein and Fermi-condensates, quantum informatics, and many others.It was precisely due to the laser cooling method that atomic fountains Ð the most accurate microwave clocks Ð made their appearance, and impetus was lent to the area of optical frequency standards, which today have surpassed the relative error of 10 À18 .In this review, dedicated to the 55th anniversary of the founding of ISAN, we will present some modern methods and experimental results aimed at the development of optical clocks on thulium atoms.In addition to the review part, the paper demonstrates a new experimental protocol for the preparation of thulium atoms using sideband cooling of the spectrally narrow 506.2-nm transition.Ensembles of atoms in the initial states of clock transitions in the ground vibrational sublevel of the optical lattice have been attained.