Physical Review A
Photoionization cross sections for excited laser-cooled cesium atoms
Onofrio M. Maragò, D. Ciampini, F. Fuso, E. Arimondo, C. Gabbanini, Steven Trent Manson
Abstract
Losses from a cesium magneto-optical trap induced by an additional laser ionizing the atoms in the ${6P}_{3/2}$ state have been measured as a function of the intensity and frequency of the ionizing laser. The absolute cross section for ionization of the ${6P}_{3/2}$ state has been derived as a function of the wavelength of the ionizing laser. Our values are compared with previous ones and available theoretical predictions. A simple model describing the photoionization processes has been developed.