I. Some Considerations of Atomic Structure

M. Sigel, J. A. Mlynek

Atom optics is concerned with manipulating the center of mass motion of atoms. In recent years optics with atoms has enjoyed considerable interest, largely due to advances in experimental tools, such as microfabricated structures and tunable narrow linewidth laser light.

Sune R. Svanberg

Hassan Raza

N. Sh. Badanyan

Soo Chang, Taeg Yong Kwon, Ho Seong Lee +1 more

A theory of deep laser cooling of atoms by counterpropagating circular polarized laser waves in multilevel interaction schemes is developed. Using a (3+5)-level atom as an example, we show that in multilevel interaction schemes two-photon processes are responsible for creating a narrow structure near zero velocity in the ground-state atomic coherence. This structure is in turn responsible for narrow velocity structures in atomic populations and optical coherences. A Fokker-Planck-type kinetic equation is derived for a model of a (3+5)-level interaction scheme. It is found that two-photon coherent processes considerably enhance the radiation force at low velocities and the friction produced by the force at a negative detuning, and considerably decrease the diffusion coefficient. Two-photon processes in multilevel interaction schemes are identified as the basic physical mechanism responsible for deep laser cooling of atoms. The temperature of laser-cooled atoms is derived for a model (3+5)-level atom, and found to be in good agreement with the experimentally observed temperature for laser-cooled cesium atoms.

NORMAN R. CAMPBELL