Quantum Electronics and Laser Science Conference
Adiabatic cooling of atoms by an intense standing wave
J. G. Story, J. Chen, Randall G. Hulet
Abstract
An atom slowly moving in a standing wave can be confined to, or in, the nodes of the standing wave if the atom’s kinetic energy is less than the depth of the potential formed by the interaction of the atom with the standing-wave radiation.1 We have observed a significant cooling of channeled atoms in one dimension resulting from an adiabatic turn-off of the standing-wave intensity.