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Progress in Quantum Electronics

Cooling of an atomic beam with frequency-sweep techniques

R. Blatt, Wolfgang A. Ertmer, J. L. Hall

Published Jan 1, 1984• 18 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1016/0079-6727(84)90020-x

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The idea of Zacharias1 to use an atomic fountain for spectroscopy has attracted attention for many years. We note that in a laser-cooled sodium atomic beam prepared by using an optical frequency-sweeping technique, the atoms with upward transverse velocity can be used as an atomic fountain. The cooling scheme is basically the same as we used before.2 At the end of each frequency sweep for cooling, the atoms are optically pumped into the Zeeman level (F = 1, m F = 0) in the ground state.

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We measured the axial velocity distribution produced by frequency-chirp-cooling a sodium atomic beam, including heating effects produced by an optional frequency-fixed postcooling interaction. Frequency sweeps were produced via a voltage-tuned oscillator feeding a broadband, efficient electrooptic modulator to produce a frequency-agile sideband on the output of a dual-frequency dye laser(Δv = 1.712GHz). After the chirp-cooling, the frequency was held stationary for an adjustable time T before the intensity was reduced 30-fold and the frequency jumped to provide a single readout point on the number of atoms vs frequency curve. All frequency sweeps were derived with rf techniques from a single laser so the velocity scale is absolute and uncontaminated by drifts. The + 880-MHz sweep in 1.6 ms gave an effective absorption rate of 10.7 photons/μs (saturation = 1 gives 31 photons/μs, 1 photon gives 3 cm/s). The swept sideband power was 10 mW in Wo ~ 4 mm, decreasing to ~ 350μW for readout. The measured velocity-offset and –drift rate were 24 MHz and 8 photons/μs at T = 15μs, with the velocity offset increasing to 40 MHz and the rate decreasing to 4 photons/μs at T = 100 μs. Over the same time interval, the velocity width monotonically increased from 12.1 to 17 MHz. The presence of heating—rather than cooling—infixed frequency conditions implies the existence of an optimum chirp rate and is not anticipated by some theories of the laser atom cooling dynamics.

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Cooling cesium atoms using diode lasers

Carl Wieman, R. N. Watts

We have cooled and stopped a beam of cesium atoms using frequency chirped diode lasers. In this technique, a moving atom absorbs and reemits many photons from a counter propagating laser that is frequency swept to keep it in resonance with an atomic transition. The resulting momentum transfer slows the atom. The basic approach is identical to that developed by Hall and co-workers, however, the use of diode lasers allows us to obtain the necessary frequency modulation simply by sweeping the laser injection current. We use two diode lasers tuned to each of the 6s hyperfine ground state levels to drive the 6s—6p3/2 transitions. Each laser is simultaneously swept over the Doppler profile of the 100°C thermal cesium beam to bring a substantial number to a stop. Using additional fast frequency modulation, the same lasers are used to probe the resulting velocity distribution. This technique allows us to bring ~106 atoms/cm3 to a temperature of 1 K. This method is an extremely simple and inexpensive way to produce cold atoms.

International Laser Science Conference•Jan 1, 1986•0 citations
We measured the axial velocity distribution produced by frequency-chirp-cooling a sodium atomic beam, including heating effects produced by an optional frequency-fixed postcooling interaction. Frequency sweeps were produced via a voltage-tuned oscillator feeding a broadband, efficient electrooptic modulator to produce a frequency-agile sideband on the output of a dual-frequency dye laser(Δv = 1.712GHz). After the chirp-cooling, the frequency was held stationary for an adjustable time T before the intensity was reduced 30-fold and the frequency jumped to provide a single readout point on the number of atoms vs frequency curve. All frequency sweeps were derived with rf techniques from a single laser so the velocity scale is absolute and uncontaminated by drifts. The + 880-MHz sweep in 1.6 ms gave an effective absorption rate of 10.7 photons/μs (saturation = 1 gives 31 photons/μs, 1 photon gives 3 cm/s). The swept sideband power was 10 mW in Wo ~ 4 mm, decreasing to ~ 350μW for readout. The measured velocity-offset and –drift rate were 24 MHz and 8 photons/μs at T = 15μs, with the velocity offset increasing to 40 MHz and the rate decreasing to 4 photons/μs at T = 100 μs. Over the same time interval, the velocity width monotonically increased from 12.1 to 17 MHz. The presence of heating—rather than cooling—infixed frequency conditions implies the existence of an optimum chirp rate and is not anticipated by some theories of the laser atom cooling dynamics.
We have cooled and stopped a beam of cesium atoms using frequency chirped diode lasers. In this technique, a moving atom absorbs and reemits many photons from a counter propagating laser that is frequency swept to keep it in resonance with an atomic transition. The resulting momentum transfer slows the atom. The basic approach is identical to that developed by Hall and co-workers, however, the use of diode lasers allows us to obtain the necessary frequency modulation simply by sweeping the laser injection current. We use two diode lasers tuned to each of the 6s hyperfine ground state levels to drive the 6s—6p3/2 transitions. Each laser is simultaneously swept over the Doppler profile of the 100°C thermal cesium beam to bring a substantial number to a stop. Using additional fast frequency modulation, the same lasers are used to probe the resulting velocity distribution. This technique allows us to bring ~106 atoms/cm3 to a temperature of 1 K. This method is an extremely simple and inexpensive way to produce cold atoms.