Physical Review A
Atom trapping in deeply bound states of a far-off-resonance optical lattice
D. L. Haycock, S. E. Hamann, Gerd Klose, Poul Jessen
Abstract
We form a one-dimensional optical lattice for Cs atoms using light tuned a few thousand linewidths below atomic resonance. Atoms are selectively loaded into deeply bound states by adiabatic transfer from a superimposed, near-resonance optical lattice. This yields a mean vibrational excitation n-bar\ensuremath{\approx}0.3 and localization \ensuremath{\Delta}z\ensuremath{\approx}\ensuremath{\lambda}/20. Light scattering subsequently heats the atoms, but the initial rate is only of order ${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}3}$ vibrational quanta per oscillation period. Low vibrational excitation, strong localization, and low heating rates make these atoms good candidates for resolved-sideband Raman cooling.