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Journal of the Optical Society of America B

Laser and rf spectroscopy of magnetically trapped neutral atoms

Kristian Helmerson, Alex Martin, David E. Pritchard

Published Apr 1, 1992• 25 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present laser absorption, fluorescence, and rf resonance spectra of neutral-sodium atoms confined in a magnetic trap. The shape of the spectra obtained is explained qualitatively and modeled numerically and is used to extract the energy distribution and an effective temperature for the atoms in the trap.
DOI
10.1364/josab.9.000483

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We have recently demonstrated rf resonance experiments on Na atoms contained in a magnetic trap.1,2 Sequential rf pulses with appropriate frequencies were applied to a sample of ~2×1010 Na atoms (confined in an ~100-cm3 volume) to transfer population between the four trapped magnetic substates. The relative populations of the magnetic substates were detected by sending a weak narrowly collimated probe laser beam along the axis of the trap and monitoring the induced fluorescence with a photodiode (placed along the wall of the trap enclosure) located at the longitudinal magnetic field minimum. Hence we are sensitive only to light emanating from the small fraction of atoms near the magnetic field minimum.
A configuration of magnetic fields is exhibited which can harmonically trap paramagnetic particles in a shallow field minimum, superposed on a nearly uniform field which simplifies spectroscopic interactions with the particles. The potential energy of a trapped neutral particle depends on the particle's internal quantum number, as well as its position in the trap, permitting a combined rf-laser optical pumping cycle which can cool particles by a factor of 2 per cycle. Application of these ideas to the trapping of Na atoms is discussed.