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Optics Letters

Forces on three-level atoms including coherent population trapping

Mara Goff Prentiss, N. P. Bigelow, M. S. Shahriar, Philip Hemmer

Published Nov 1, 1991• 18 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present a calculation of the force on a stationary three-level atom excited by a nearly resonant Raman light field, which may be composed of an arbitrary combination of standing- and traveling-wave fields. The effects of the ground-state coherences are explicitly included and are shown to play a crucial role in the nature of the force on the atom. We show that the force contains terms that vary on length scales both shorter and longer than the optical wavelength and that the magnitude of these terms can be made arbitrarily large.

DOI
10.1364/ol.16.001695

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Forces on three-level atoms including trapped-state contribution

M. S. Shahriar, Philip Hemmer, N. P. Bigelow +1 more

In this paper we present a new calculation of the force on a stationary three-level atom in a bichromatic standing-wave light field (see Fig. 1). Contrary to other theoretical treatments,1 which ignore optical pumping into the trapped state, we find that a stationary atom experiences no force when there is no difference frequency detuning (i.e., when Δ = 0). However, when there is a nonzero differential detuning (Δ ≠ 0) there can be force components that vary in both the wavelength of the optical fields and their beat wavelength. This stimulated force can be much larger than the maximum spontaneous force associated with this system. To obtain a simple physical interpretation of this force, the problem is treated in a basis that is formed from symmetric |+〉 and antisymmetric |−〉 linear combinations of the atomic ground states2 (see Fig. 1).

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Philip Hemmer, M. S. Shahriar, Mara Goff Prentiss +4 more

A sodium atomic beam is deflected by two optical standing-wave fields which excite near resonance Raman transitions. Observed deflections are consistent with theoretical predictions of a long-range dc component of the force on a three-level atom in the \ensuremath{\Lambda} configuration. The low laser intensities (and small detunings) used, combined with observed evidence of damping in the three-level \ensuremath{\Lambda} system, may ultimately lead to the design of high-density, all optical traps wherein the atoms would be mostly in the dark state.

Physical Review Letters•May 25, 1992•25 citations

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We show that an imperfection of velocity-selective coherent population trapping (VSCPT) in three-level atoms excited by standing light waves causes a rectified force on cooled atoms. The rectified force as well as the cooling force are calculated both analytically and numerically for and cascade three-level systems. Combination of these forces with the VSCPT mechanism can lead to localization of very cold atoms in potential wells created by the rectified force. This effect should be taken into account in experiments with VSCPT in standing waves, and can be used for realizing superlattices of cold atoms, in particular, cold Rydberg atoms.

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Radiation Forces for Manipulation of Atoms

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Depending on the spatial and temporal structure of light field, its strength and wavelength, the radiation force may be a very complex function of the atoms position and velocity. But, since all the known studies on the application of the radiation forces have been carried out mainly using three types of light fields, namely, a plane traveling light field, a Gaussian laser beam and a standing light wave, or their combination, this chapter restricts to qualitative consideration of these types of fields only. At low radiation intensity and for a two level atom the radiation force in the standing wave is determined by the sum of the forces from each traveling waves. In the presence of static magnetic field the radiative forces acting on a multilevel atom in a laser field may acquire new properties. Of particular interest for the creation of new types of atomic traps is a confining potential — like character of the radiation force.

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Optical pressure force in traveling and standing light waves during excitation of a multilevel atom by two-frequency laser radiation

Viktor I Balykin, A. I. Sidorov

An experimental investigation was made of the behavior of the optical pressure force created by the interaction of a two-frequency laser field with a sodium atom in traveling and standing light waves. It was found that the optical pressure forces due to a traveling wave were quite different for a two-level atom and an atom of sodium. In a standing wave field the motion of atoms was governed mainly by pulsed diffusion.

Soviet Journal of Quantum Electronics•Nov 30, 1986•1 citation
We present a calculation of the force on a stationary three-level atom excited by a nearly resonant Raman light field, which may be composed of an arbitrary combination of standing- and traveling-wave fields. The effects of the ground-state coherences are explicitly included and are shown to play a crucial role in the nature of the force on the atom. We show that the force contains terms that vary on length scales both shorter and longer than the optical wavelength and that the magnitude of these terms can be made arbitrarily large.
In this paper we present a new calculation of the force on a stationary three-level atom in a bichromatic standing-wave light field (see Fig. 1). Contrary to other theoretical treatments,1 which ignore optical pumping into the trapped state, we find that a stationary atom experiences no force when there is no difference frequency detuning (i.e., when Δ = 0). However, when there is a nonzero differential detuning (Δ ≠ 0) there can be force components that vary in both the wavelength of the optical fields and their beat wavelength. This stimulated force can be much larger than the maximum spontaneous force associated with this system. To obtain a simple physical interpretation of this force, the problem is treated in a basis that is formed from symmetric |+〉 and antisymmetric |−〉 linear combinations of the atomic ground states2 (see Fig. 1).
A sodium atomic beam is deflected by two optical standing-wave fields which excite near resonance Raman transitions. Observed deflections are consistent with theoretical predictions of a long-range dc component of the force on a three-level atom in the \ensuremath{\Lambda} configuration. The low laser intensities (and small detunings) used, combined with observed evidence of damping in the three-level \ensuremath{\Lambda} system, may ultimately lead to the design of high-density, all optical traps wherein the atoms would be mostly in the dark state.
The dipole force's steady solution of a ladder-type three-level atom of nearly equispaced energy level driven by a standing wave is derived from the atomic master equation.The variance of dipole force and the population of the energy level with the detunings,the space and the amplitude are shown by numerical calculation.The results show that the dipole force is proportional to the gradient of amplitude of the standing wave and the coherences between the atomic internal states plays a modulating role on the force,which is the most remarkable near the two-photon resonance point.Besides the levels tend to reach a equal-population and the dipole force tend to be zero as the amplitude of the electric field becomes bigger.
We show that an imperfection of velocity-selective coherent population trapping (VSCPT) in three-level atoms excited by standing light waves causes a rectified force on cooled atoms. The rectified force as well as the cooling force are calculated both analytically and numerically for and cascade three-level systems. Combination of these forces with the VSCPT mechanism can lead to localization of very cold atoms in potential wells created by the rectified force. This effect should be taken into account in experiments with VSCPT in standing waves, and can be used for realizing superlattices of cold atoms, in particular, cold Rydberg atoms.
Depending on the spatial and temporal structure of light field, its strength and wavelength, the radiation force may be a very complex function of the atoms position and velocity. But, since all the known studies on the application of the radiation forces have been carried out mainly using three types of light fields, namely, a plane traveling light field, a Gaussian laser beam and a standing light wave, or their combination, this chapter restricts to qualitative consideration of these types of fields only. At low radiation intensity and for a two level atom the radiation force in the standing wave is determined by the sum of the forces from each traveling waves. In the presence of static magnetic field the radiative forces acting on a multilevel atom in a laser field may acquire new properties. Of particular interest for the creation of new types of atomic traps is a confining potential — like character of the radiation force.