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Quantum Electronics

Magneto-optical trap for 6Li atoms formed by elliptically polarised light waves

R. Ya. Ilenkov, Anastasia Kirpichnikova, Прудников Олег Николаевич

Published Feb 1, 2022• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Abstract We report a study of a model of a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for atoms 6Li in the field with configuration produced by the counterpropagating elliptically polarised waves, which are in resonance with the optical transition 2S1/2 → 2P3/2 (λ = 670.977 nm). The model takes into account hyperfine splitting of levels inside the natural linewidth of the optical transition. In contrast to a conventional MOT formed by counterpropagating circularly polarised waves (σ + – σ – configuration), the suggested MOT may provide a deeper sub-Doppler cooling of 6Li atoms.

DOI
10.1070/qel17974

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Abstract We report a study of a model of a magneto-optical trap (MOT) for atoms 6Li in the field with configuration produced by the counterpropagating elliptically polarised waves, which are in resonance with the optical transition 2S1/2 → 2P3/2 (λ = 670.977 nm). The model takes into account hyperfine splitting of levels inside the natural linewidth of the optical transition. In contrast to a conventional MOT formed by counterpropagating circularly polarised waves (σ + – σ – configuration), the suggested MOT may provide a deeper sub-Doppler cooling of 6Li atoms.
We consider a magneto-optical trap (MOT) formed by elliptically polarised waves for 24 Mg atoms on a closed optical 3 P 2 → 3 D 3 ( λ = 383.8 nm ) transition in the ε − θ − ε ¯ configuration of the field. Compared with a known MOT formed by circularly polarised waves ( σ + − σ − configuration), the suggested configuration of the trap formed by fields of ε − θ − ε ¯ configuration allows deeper sub-Doppler cooling of trapped 24 Mg atoms, which cannot be implemented in a conventional trap formed by fields of σ + − σ − configuration.
We demonstrate sub-Doppler laser cooling and magneto-optical trapping of the rare earth element Holmium. Atoms are loaded from an atomic beam source and captured in six-beam σ+−σ−σ_+ - σ_-σ+​−σ−​ molasses using a strong J=15/2↔J=17/2J=15/2 \leftrightarrow J=17/2J=15/2↔J=17/2 cycling transition at λ=410.5nmλ=410.5 \rm nmλ=410.5nm. Due to the small difference in hyperfine splittings and Landé ggg-factors in the lower and upper levels of the cooling transition the MOT is self-repumped without additional repump light, and deep sub-Doppler cooling is achieved with the magnetic trap turned on. We measure the leakage out of the cycling transition to metastable states and find a branching ratio ∼10−5\sim 10^{-5}∼10−5 which is adequate for state resolved measurements on hyperfine encoded qubits.
The magneto-optical trap (MOT) serves as the culmination of optical cooling and trapping, where by applying a linear magnetic field to orthogonal, circularly polarized, retroreflecting laser beams, one can produce a dense cloud of very cold atoms, on the order of μK. This work set out to create a magneto-optical trap using only visible light with the 6s 2S1/2 → 7p 2P◦ 3/2 transition of cesium-133, which is far weaker than the transition typically employed for a cesium-133 MOT. This transition alone has yet to be used in isolation to create a MOT, and the purpose of this work is to demonstrate the feasibility of such a MOT. While the creation of a MOT with the setup produced has thus far been unsuccessful, the components are in place for one to be made as a demonstration of optical cooling and trapping that should be visible to the naked eye. Additionally, an experimental setup was created for high precision measurements of the absolute energies of the 7p 2P◦ 1/2 and 7p 2P◦ 3/2 states. The theory behind the MOT and high precision spectroscopy is expounded upon within.
Magnesium atoms are cooled in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) using the 3s2 S0 → 3s3p P1 resonance transition. Magnesium is a simple atom which offers a unique possibility for comparison to the Doppler theory of laser cooling. We measure trap parameters as a function of laser-intensity, -detuning and magnetic field gradient. We find the main features well accounted for by Doppler theory, but temperature measurements gave significant higher values than predicted by the Doppler theory. We also observe radiation pressure effects within the MOT that limit the maximum achievable density. Comparing our results to predictions by models in the literature shows a good agreement. Recently we have improved our set-up and now trap about 150 × 106 atoms.
Magnesium atoms are cooled in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) using the 3s(2 1)S(0) --> 3s3p P-1(1) resonance transition. Magnesium is a simple atom which offers a unique possibility for comparison to the Doppler theory of laser cooling. We measure trap parameters as a function of laser-intensity, -detuning and magnetic field gradient. We find the main features well accounted for by Doppler theory, but temperature measurements gave significant higher values than predicted by the Doppler theory. We also observe radiation pressure effects within the MOT that limit the maximum achievable density. Comparing our results to predictions by models in the literature shows a good agreement. Recently we have improved our set-up and now trap about 150 x 10(6) atoms.