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Review of Scientific Instruments

Isotope separation in a magneto-optical trap

Heung‐Ryoul Noh, J. O. Kim, D. S. Nam, Wonho Jhe

Published Apr 1, 1996• 7 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We demonstrate simultaneous trapping and spatial separation of the two stable rubidium isotopes in a magneto-optical trap. To realize this novel type of isotope separation, we have built a compact diode laser which is frequency-stabilized by optical feedback from a diffraction grating, and frequency-modulated by a direct microwave modulation of the bias current from a yittrium iron garnet tuned oscillator. Use of the single diode laser with microwave sidebands provides much ease and flexibility in the applications of a magneto-optical trap.

DOI
10.1063/1.1146869

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Optics Letters•Apr 15, 1993•45 citations
We demonstrate simultaneous trapping and spatial separation of the two stable rubidium isotopes in a magneto-optical trap. To realize this novel type of isotope separation, we have built a compact diode laser which is frequency-stabilized by optical feedback from a diffraction grating, and frequency-modulated by a direct microwave modulation of the bias current from a yittrium iron garnet tuned oscillator. Use of the single diode laser with microwave sidebands provides much ease and flexibility in the applications of a magneto-optical trap.
We present a dual isotope magneto-optical trap produced using a single diode laser. We generate all the optical frequencies needed for trapping both species using a fiber intensity modulator. All the optical frequencies are amplified simultaneously using a tapered amplifier. The independent control of each frequency is on the RF side rather than on the optical side. This introduces an enormous simplification for laser-cooling applications that often require an acousto-optic modulator for each laser beam. Frequency-changing capabilities are limited by the modulator bandwidth (10 GHz). Traps for more isotopes can be simply added by including additional RF frequencies on the modulator.
We have demonstrated microwave modulation of a diode laser which is operated with optical feedback from a diffraction grating. By directly modulating the diode laser current at frequencies up to 6.8 GHz, we observed 2-30% of the laser power in a single sideband for 20mW of microwave power. Using such a diode laser modulated at 6.6GHz, we have trapped {sup 87}Rb in a vapor cell. With 10mW of microwave power, the number of trapped atoms was only 15% smaller than the number obtained using two lasers in the conventional manner. A microwave modulated diode laser should also be useful for driving stimulated Raman transitions between the hyperfine levels of Rb or Cs.
Herein, we report an effective method for the generation of radio-frequency (RF) sidebands in an electro-optic modulator for the simultaneous magneto-optical trapping of two isotopes. This is achieved by switching the RF signals alternately, which suppresses the generation of unwanted frequency signals and improves the laser power per sideband. The generated sidebands are successfully applied to a dual-rubidium-isotope magneto-optical trap (MOT), which results in an increased number of trapped atoms. This simple, flexible, and robust technique can be implemented in experiments that require a large number of atoms in multiple-isotope MOTs and for various applications.
The output from two grating-stabilized external-cavity diode lasers were injected into a single-mode diode laser. Operating at a wavelength of 780 nm, this laser produced ~50 mW of power with two main frequency components of the same spectral characteristics of the seed lasers. The power ratio of the amplified components was freely adjustable due to gain saturation, and amplification was observed for frequency differences of the two seed lasers in the range from 73 MHz to 6.6 GHz. This system was used to realize a dual isotope magneto-optic trap (MOT) for rubidium (85Rb and 87Rb). The resulting position and cloud size of the dual isotope MOT was the same as that of the single species MOTs to within "±10 and "±20 μm, respectively. We also characterized the additional spectral components produced by four wave mixing (FWM) in the diode laser amplifier and utilized a particular FWM sideband to realize hyperfine pumping and subsequent laser trapping of 85Rb in the absence of a "repump" laser dedicated to hyperfine pumping.
We demonstrate direct microwave modulation of diode lasers operated with optical feedback from a diffraction grating. We obtain substantial fractions of the laser power (2–30%) in a single sideband at frequencies as high 6.8 GHz with 20 mW of microwave power and simple inefficient microwave coupling. Using a single diode as modulated at 6.6 GHz, we trapped 87Rb atoms in a vapor cell. With only 10 mW of microwave power we laser trapped 85% as many atoms as were obtained by using two lasers in the conventional manner.