Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Optics and Spectroscopy

Laser cooling of atoms below the single-photon classical limit

Vladimir G. Minogin, M. A. Ol'shanyi, Yu. V. Rozhdestvenskiǐ, N. N. Yakobson

Published Jan 1, 1990• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Related papers

Single-Photon Atomic Cooling

Stephen Travis Bannerman, Gabriel Price, Kirsten Viering +2 more

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•Oct 19, 2007•0 citations

Laser cooling of atoms below the single-photon classical limit

Vladimir G. Minogin, M. A. Ol'shanyi, S. U. Shulga

We describe a new mechanism for the laser cooling of atoms. The mechanism is based on the damping of the motion of three-level atoms by laser light pressure under the condition of coherent atomic population trapping. Because of the action of this mechanism, three-level atoms can be cooled below the temperature of the single-photon classical limit, Tγ = ℏγ/kB, to a temperature corresponding to the recoil energy, TR = ℏ2k2/2MkB. It is probable that the mechanism described has a part in the recently observed laser cooling of sodium atoms below the temperature ℏγ/ kB.

Journal of the Optical Society of America B•Nov 1, 1989•11 citations

Laser Cooling of Atoms

Hidekazu Hachisu

Nihon Kikai Gakkaishi/Journal of the Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers•Jan 1, 2009•0 citations

Three-Dimensional Laser Cooling of Helium Beyond the Single-Photon Recoil Limit

John Lawall, S. A. Kulin, Bruno Saubaméa +3 more

We report the first observation of subrecoil laser cooling in three dimensions, where we use the method of velocity-selective coherent population trapping. We have cooled a cloud of trapped metastable helium atoms to 180 nK, 22 times below the single-photon recoil temperature, with an enhancement in the momentum-space density of 16. We find that the efficiency with which the velocity-selective trap is populated can be augmented by Sisyphus-type frictional forces, while the cooling process is accompanied by the diffusion of atoms to states of very high velocity.

Physical Review Letters•Dec 4, 1995•120 citations

Optical Molasses: The Coldest Atoms Ever

William D. Phillips, Paul D. Lett, S. L. Rolston +7 more

Optical molasses is a three-dimensional (3-D) configuration of laser beams used to laser-cool and to viscously confine neutral atoms. Atoms laser cooled in optical molasses reach temperatures much lower than the limit given by the original theories of laser cooling based on the Doppler effect. This cooling below the Doppler-cooling limit is now seen as being due to new laser cooling mechanisms not considered in the original theories. The dependence of the atomic temperature on parameters such as laser intensity and detuning shows good agreement between calculations performed in 1-D and experiments performed in 3-D. For cooling of Na and Cs atoms, the lowest observed temperatures correspond to rms velocities between three and four times the single photon recoil velocity. For Cs the temperature is 2.5 ± 0.6 μK and is the lowest temperature ever measured for 3-D cooling.

Physica Scripta•Jan 1, 1991•6 citations

Laser Cooling of Atoms and Impact in Theoretical Physics

Ghosh, Pradip N

•Jan 1, 1999•0 citations
We describe a new mechanism for the laser cooling of atoms. The mechanism is based on the damping of the motion of three-level atoms by laser light pressure under the condition of coherent atomic population trapping. Because of the action of this mechanism, three-level atoms can be cooled below the temperature of the single-photon classical limit, Tγ = ℏγ/kB, to a temperature corresponding to the recoil energy, TR = ℏ2k2/2MkB. It is probable that the mechanism described has a part in the recently observed laser cooling of sodium atoms below the temperature ℏγ/ kB.
We report the first observation of subrecoil laser cooling in three dimensions, where we use the method of velocity-selective coherent population trapping. We have cooled a cloud of trapped metastable helium atoms to 180 nK, 22 times below the single-photon recoil temperature, with an enhancement in the momentum-space density of 16. We find that the efficiency with which the velocity-selective trap is populated can be augmented by Sisyphus-type frictional forces, while the cooling process is accompanied by the diffusion of atoms to states of very high velocity.
Optical molasses is a three-dimensional (3-D) configuration of laser beams used to laser-cool and to viscously confine neutral atoms. Atoms laser cooled in optical molasses reach temperatures much lower than the limit given by the original theories of laser cooling based on the Doppler effect. This cooling below the Doppler-cooling limit is now seen as being due to new laser cooling mechanisms not considered in the original theories. The dependence of the atomic temperature on parameters such as laser intensity and detuning shows good agreement between calculations performed in 1-D and experiments performed in 3-D. For cooling of Na and Cs atoms, the lowest observed temperatures correspond to rms velocities between three and four times the single photon recoil velocity. For Cs the temperature is 2.5 ± 0.6 μK and is the lowest temperature ever measured for 3-D cooling.