Physical Review A
Laser sideband cooling with positive detuning
Ch. Schwedes, Th. Becker, Joachim von Zanthier, H. Walther, E. Peik
Abstract
An experimental and theoretical study of laser sideband cooling of a trapped ion in a radiofrequency trap is presented. The influence of the micromotion in the time-dependent potential of a Paul trap can lead to a counterintuitive situation, where sideband cooling is possible for positive values of the laser detuning, i.e., for a laser frequency that is higher than the resonance frequency of the ion at rest. The cooling rate and the capture range are calculated in a semiclassical model. Experimental results of laser sideband cooling at positive detuning are demonstrated with a single trapped ${\mathrm{In}}^{+}$ ion stored in a miniature Paul trap.