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Physical Review A

Enhanced laser cooling and state preparation in an optical lattice with a magnetic field

D. L. Haycock, S. E. Hamann, Gerd Klose, Georg A. Raithel, Poul Jessen

Published Feb 1, 1998• 6 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate that weak magnetic fields can significantly enhance laser cooling and state preparation of Cs atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice. A field parallel to the lattice axis increases the vibrational ground-state population of the stretched state $|m=F〉$ to $28%$. A transverse field reduces the kinetic temperature. Quantum Monte Carlo simulations agree with the experiment, and predict $45%$ ground-state population for optimal parallel and transverse fields. Our results show that coherent mixing and local energy relaxation play important roles in laser cooling of large-$F$ atoms.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.57.r705

Related papers

Quantum state preparation in an optical lattice

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This dissertation reports on quantum state preparation of cesium atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice, by resolved-sideband Raman cooling. An optical lattice is a periodic potential produced by the light shift interaction between an atom and light field. Laser cooled atoms can become strongly localized about the bottom of potential wells in an optical lattice, where they occupy a discrete spectrum of bound vibrational energy levels. The distribution over vibrational levels of atoms in the lattice is characterized by the mean vibrational excitation, n . In an optical lattice, absorption and emission of photons from lattice beams causes n to increase in time. This source of heating is always present, but its rate can be greatly reduced in a lattice detuned far from the atomic resonance. Sideband cooling is an efficient means of transferring atoms from higher into lower-lying vibrational levels and, thus, it reduces n for the ensemble. If the sideband cooling rate is much greater than the heating rate, then n approaches zero and virtually all atoms are in the lowest vibrational level in their potential wells. Our sideband cooling scheme involves stimulated Raman transitions between bound states in the potential wells of a pair of magnetic sublevels, followed by optical pumping, for a net loss of one quantum of vibration per cooling cycle. The process accumulates 98% of atoms in the ground vibrational level of a potential well associated with a single Zeeman substate. Each atom in the lattice is then very close to a pure state. For two-dimensional lattice with sideband cooling we find nx≈ny≈0.008 &parl0;16&parr0; . Various issues related to state preparation and sideband cooling are also discussed in the context of a one dimensional lin ⊥ lin optical lattice. These include improvement of laser cooling in a near resonance lattice by application of weak magnetic fields, transfer of atoms from near into far off-resonance lattices, and heating rates in far off-resonance lattices.

•Jan 1, 1998•1 citation

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We show, experimentally and using quantum Monte Carlo simulations, that the quasithermal paramagnetic behavior of cesium atoms in a one-dimensional $\mathrm{lin}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\perp}}\mathrm{lin}$ optical lattice is characterized by a spin temperature of twice the zero-field kinetic temperature. The magnetization is maximum and almost perfect when the Zeeman shift of the extreme magnetic sublevels approximately equals half the maximum light shift. The lifetime of magnetization and the laser-cooling time constant are found to be clearly distinct, the magnetization decay time amounting to at least three times the cooling time. Using simulations we find that the magnetic-dipole correlation time is approximately proportional to the angular momentum $F$ of the atoms, while cooling and energy correlation time constants are approximately independent of $F.$ Our results imply that for large $F$ laser cooling within single light-shift potential wells (local cooling) occurs.

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Atoms in non-dissipative optical lattices

S. Bergamini

Optical lattices induced by light detuned far from the frequency of any atomic resonance transition are ideal systems in which to develop techniques for the coherent control of atomic motional and internal states. Decoherence arising from spontaneous emission can be eliminated to an arbitrary degree by varying the detuning of the optical field. The atoms trapped in these lattices are to a large extent isolated from environmental disturbances and from each other. The first step towards the coherent control of atoms in a far-detuned lattice is their preparation in a single motional state. In this thesis the preparation of atoms in the ground vibrational state of a two-dimensional far-detuned optical lattice via resolved-sideband Raman cooling is presented. This sideband-cooling scheme involves stimulated Raman transitions between bound vibrational states of a pair of magnetic ground state sublevels, followed by an irreversible step due to optical pumping, resulting in a net loss of one quantum of vibrational energy per cooling cycle. This process provides efficient cooling in two-dimensions and leads to the accumulation of a large fraction of atoms in the 2-D ground vibrational state of a potential well associated with a single Zeeman substate. Experiments aimed at improving and monitoring the characteristics of the lar-detuned lattice and the sideband-Raman cooling efficiency are also described. Parametric excitation experiments and modelling are employed to investigate the degree of anharmonicity of the optical potential and the importance of heating induced by laser intensity noise, whilst Zeeman-state analysis of the sample is performed for monitoring the distribution of atoms over different magnetic sub- states. Finally, spin-polarization experiments are carried out in order to study the paramagnetic properties of the lattice and lead to an evaluation of a spin-temperature for the sample.

•Jan 1, 2002•0 citations
We demonstrate that weak magnetic fields can significantly enhance laser cooling and state preparation of Cs atoms in a one-dimensional optical lattice. A field parallel to the lattice axis increases the vibrational ground-state population of the stretched state ∣m=F〉|m=F〉∣m=F〉 to 2828%28. A transverse field reduces the kinetic temperature. Quantum Monte Carlo simulations agree with the experiment, and predict 4545%45 ground-state population for optimal parallel and transverse fields. Our results show that coherent mixing and local energy relaxation play important roles in laser cooling of large-FFF atoms.
This dissertation reports on quantum state preparation of cesium atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice, by resolved-sideband Raman cooling. An optical lattice is a periodic potential produced by the light shift interaction between an atom and light field. Laser cooled atoms can become strongly localized about the bottom of potential wells in an optical lattice, where they occupy a discrete spectrum of bound vibrational energy levels. The distribution over vibrational levels of atoms in the lattice is characterized by the mean vibrational excitation, n . In an optical lattice, absorption and emission of photons from lattice beams causes n to increase in time. This source of heating is always present, but its rate can be greatly reduced in a lattice detuned far from the atomic resonance. Sideband cooling is an efficient means of transferring atoms from higher into lower-lying vibrational levels and, thus, it reduces n for the ensemble. If the sideband cooling rate is much greater than the heating rate, then n approaches zero and virtually all atoms are in the lowest vibrational level in their potential wells. Our sideband cooling scheme involves stimulated Raman transitions between bound states in the potential wells of a pair of magnetic sublevels, followed by optical pumping, for a net loss of one quantum of vibration per cooling cycle. The process accumulates 98% of atoms in the ground vibrational level of a potential well associated with a single Zeeman substate. Each atom in the lattice is then very close to a pure state. For two-dimensional lattice with sideband cooling we find nx≈ny≈0.008 &parl0;16&parr0; . Various issues related to state preparation and sideband cooling are also discussed in the context of a one dimensional lin ⊥ lin optical lattice. These include improvement of laser cooling in a near resonance lattice by application of weak magnetic fields, transfer of atoms from near into far off-resonance lattices, and heating rates in far off-resonance lattices.
We show, experimentally and using quantum Monte Carlo simulations, that the quasithermal paramagnetic behavior of cesium atoms in a one-dimensional $\mathrm{lin}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\perp}}\mathrm{lin}$ optical lattice is characterized by a spin temperature of twice the zero-field kinetic temperature. The magnetization is maximum and almost perfect when the Zeeman shift of the extreme magnetic sublevels approximately equals half the maximum light shift. The lifetime of magnetization and the laser-cooling time constant are found to be clearly distinct, the magnetization decay time amounting to at least three times the cooling time. Using simulations we find that the magnetic-dipole correlation time is approximately proportional to the angular momentum FFF of the atoms, while cooling and energy correlation time constants are approximately independent of F.F.F. Our results imply that for large FFF laser cooling within single light-shift potential wells (local cooling) occurs.
Summary form only given. Laser cooled atoms play a critical role in modern designs of frequency standards such as atomic fountains. Recently, an elegant and efficient method of two-dimensional cooling to the vibrational ground state of a far-off resonance optical lattice has been demonstrated. This method is a variant of Raman sideband cooling based on the Raman transitions between the vibrational manifolds of adjacent Zeeman substates. A static magnetic field is used to tune the Zeeman levels so that Raman resonance occurs on the red sideband and results in cooling. Two circularly polarized fields are used to recycle the atoms for repetitive Raman cooling. Unfortunately, a direct application of this scheme to frequency standards meets with several difficulties. Stimulated by these concepts and results, we propose a new variant of transverse sideband cooling, where these problems are avoided, while still maintaining most of the attractive features. The field configuration used for the optical lattice consists of three linearly polarized beams having equal amplitudes and propagating in the xy plane with angles of 2/spl pi//3 between each other. The polarization vectors of these beams are tilted through a small angle with respect to the z-axis. All the beams have the same frequency far-detuned to the red of the D/sub 2/ resonance line. Raman transitions between vibrational levels of adjacent magnetic substates are induced by the small in-plane component of the field. Two other important requirements for Raman sideband cooling are a uniform energy shift of the magnetic sublevels and optical pumping.
A method of sideband Raman cooling to the vibrational ground state of the m=0m=0m=0 Zeeman sublevel in a far-detuned two-dimensional optical lattice is proposed. In our scheme, the Raman coupling between vibrational manifolds of the adjacent Zeeman sublevels is shifted to the red sideband due to the ac Stark effect induced by a weak pump field. Thus cooling and optical pumping to m=0m=0m=0 are achieved by purely optical means with coplanar cw laser beams. The optical lattice and cooling parameters are estimated in the framework of simple theoretical models. An application of the transverse sideband cooling method to frequency standards is discussed. Coherent population trapping for the sideband Raman transitions between the degenerate vibrational levels is predicted.
We trap neutral Cs atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice and cool them close to the zero point of motion by resolved-sideband Raman cooling. Sideband cooling occurs via transitions between the vibrational manifolds associated with a pair of magnetic sublevels, and the required Raman coupling is provided by the lattice potential itself. We obtain mean vibrational excitations ${\overline{n}}_{x}\ensuremath{\approx}{\overline{n}}_{y}<0.024$, corresponding to a population >95>95%>95 in the vibrational ground state. Atoms in the ground state of an optical lattice provide a new system in which to explore quantum state control and subrecoil laser cooling.
Optical lattices induced by light detuned far from the frequency of any atomic resonance transition are ideal systems in which to develop techniques for the coherent control of atomic motional and internal states. Decoherence arising from spontaneous emission can be eliminated to an arbitrary degree by varying the detuning of the optical field. The atoms trapped in these lattices are to a large extent isolated from environmental disturbances and from each other. The first step towards the coherent control of atoms in a far-detuned lattice is their preparation in a single motional state. In this thesis the preparation of atoms in the ground vibrational state of a two-dimensional far-detuned optical lattice via resolved-sideband Raman cooling is presented. This sideband-cooling scheme involves stimulated Raman transitions between bound vibrational states of a pair of magnetic ground state sublevels, followed by an irreversible step due to optical pumping, resulting in a net loss of one quantum of vibrational energy per cooling cycle. This process provides efficient cooling in two-dimensions and leads to the accumulation of a large fraction of atoms in the 2-D ground vibrational state of a potential well associated with a single Zeeman substate. Experiments aimed at improving and monitoring the characteristics of the lar-detuned lattice and the sideband-Raman cooling efficiency are also described. Parametric excitation experiments and modelling are employed to investigate the degree of anharmonicity of the optical potential and the importance of heating induced by laser intensity noise, whilst Zeeman-state analysis of the sample is performed for monitoring the distribution of atoms over different magnetic sub- states. Finally, spin-polarization experiments are carried out in order to study the paramagnetic properties of the lattice and lead to an evaluation of a spin-temperature for the sample.