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European Frequency and Time Forum

New approaches in deep laser cooling of magnesium atoms for quantum metrology

Прудников Олег Николаевич, Valeriy I. Yudin, Anatoly E. Bonert, Denis V. Brazhnikov, Andrei Goncharov, А. В. Тайченачев

Published Apr 1, 2016• 0 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We theoretically describe two approaches aimed at solving the existing problem of deep laser cooling of neutral magnesium atoms. The first approach based on using optical molasses with orthogonal linear polarizations of light waves, while the second one implies exploiting “nonstandard” magneto-optical trap composed of elliptically polarized (in general) light waves. The widely used semiclassical approximation based on the Fokker-Planck equation as well as the full quantum treatment (with full account of the recoil effect) are applied for theoretical analysis. The results are crucial for metrological and some other applications of cold atoms.

DOI
10.1109/eftf.2016.7477787

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We theoretically describe two approaches aimed at solving the existing problem of deep laser cooling of neutral magnesium atoms. The first approach based on using optical molasses with orthogonal linear polarizations of light waves, while the second one implies exploiting “nonstandard” magneto-optical trap composed of elliptically polarized (in general) light waves. The widely used semiclassical approximation based on the Fokker-Planck equation as well as the full quantum treatment (with full account of the recoil effect) are applied for theoretical analysis. The results are crucial for metrological and some other applications of cold atoms.
Abstract Two approaches for solving the long-standing problem of deep laser cooling of neutral magnesium atoms are proposed. The first one uses optical molasses with orthogonal linear polarizations of light waves. The second approach involves a ‘nonstandard’ magneto-optical trap (NMOT) composed of light waves with elliptical polarizations (in general). Both the widely used semiclassical approach based on the Fokker–Planck equation and quantum treatment fully taking into account the recoil effect are employed for theoretical analysis. The results show the possibility of obtaining temperatures lower than 100 µ K simultaneously with a large number of cold atoms ~10 6 ÷ 10 7 . A new velocity-selective cooling technique allowing one to reach the microkelvin temperature range is also proposed. This technique may have some advantages over, for instance, the shallow-dipole-trap technique utilized by other authors. In the case of magnesium atoms this new technique may be used for obtaining a large number of ultracold atoms ( T ~ 1 µ K, N > 10 5 ). Such a large number of ultracold atoms is crucial issue for metrological and many other applications of cold atoms.
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We present the theoretical analysis of sub-Doppler laser cooling of 24Mg atoms using dipole transition 33P2→33D3 under two counterpropagating light waves with opposite circular polarizations (one-dimensional σ+σ– configuration). For numerical calculations the standard semi-classical approach based on the Fokker–Planck equation for linear momentum distribution of atoms is exploited. The distributions are gained beyond the limits of slow atoms approximation and for an arbitrary light field intensity. The absence of these limits allows us to determine the optimal parameters of the light field to maximize a fraction of ultracold atoms (T ~ 10 μK) in a whole atomic cloud. In particular, under certain conditions the fraction can reach a value of 50%. Solution of the existing problems in deep laser cooling of magnesium atoms has obvious prospects for atomic optics and quantum metrology: for instance, in designing new-generation optical frequency and time standards based on cold atoms in optical lattices.
The theoretical description of the kinetics of neutral atoms in the polarized light fields with all the atomic levels, the coherence, the recoil effect is both important and challenging problem. The first step toward understanding mechanisms of interaction between atoms and light was called quasi-classical approach. [1,2] It lies in the fact that the equations for the density matrix can be reduced to the Fokker-Planck equation for the Wigner function in the phase space. But the semiclassical approximation is inapplicable for investigating the cooling of atoms at clock transitions, because the quasiclassical parameter (the recoil frequency) is not small (in comparison with the natural line width). Later quantum methods were developed [3], for example, the secular approach which describes cooling and localization of atoms in the optical potential. Secular approximation fails high vibrational levels and for atoms in high vibrational states.
Laser cooled and trapped atoms have been the workhorse of atomic physics for the past four decades. The predominant method has been the highly versatile Magneto-Optical Trap. We describe an alternative laser trap involving a simple geometry of collimated laser beams that provides both a velocity and position dependent restoring force such that a dense cloud of cold atoms is formed. This technique produces similar atom number (>106>10^6>106) and density (101010^{10}1010\,atoms/cm3^{3}3) to the Magneto-Optical Trap, albeit with \emph{no magnetic field}. The beam geometry is compatible with conventional sub-Doppler cooling techniques, allowing the trapped cloud to be cooled to <10 μ< 10~μ<10 μK. We demonstrate the validity and robustness of the trap by capturing 87^{87}87Rb atoms directly from the background vapor and provide a theoretical discussion of the underlying principles. This trap has many unique properties that make it highly suitable for quantum sensing, timing, and computing applications as well as a new tool in fundamental science and metrology.