Journal of the Optical Society of America B

One-dimensional localization of atoms in a standing spherical light wave

V. I. Balykin, Yu. E. Lozovik, Yu. B. Ovchinnikov, A. I. Sidorov, Sergei V. Shulga, Vladilen S Letokhov

Published Nov 1, 1989• 9 citations

Abstract

The localization of sodium atoms in a spherical standing single-frequency light wave was experimentally studied and numerical calculations were performed for two- and three-level sodium atom models. A qualitative agreement was obtained between the experimental and theoretical results for the three-level atoms. The interaction between sodium atoms and the single-frequency field was shown to cause an effective localization of the atoms in the vicinity of the light-wave modes. The process was found to be influenced substantially by optical pumping, giving rise to an additional cooling of the atoms.

DOI: 10.1364/josab.6.002178

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