Control of atomic motion with resonant laser light is the most interesting field of research which is rapidly expanding. The book discusses the latest theoretical and experimental achievements in the study of these phenomena. The fundamental questions of the theory of resonant light pressure are given in the book. They are: 1. Optical Stern-Gerlach Effect and Quantization of Atomic Motion in a Light Field; 2. Theory of Light Pressure Force and Atomic Kinetics in a Strong Field; 3. Diffraction and Interference of Atoms; 4. Velocity Bunching Effect, Cooling and Localization of Atoms in Light Field, and 5. Polarization Phenomena and Recoil Effect. The most important experiments are also discussed in this book. While the book may be used to get a primary acquaintance with the subject, specialists will also find the latest theoretical and experimental results and achievements in this field discussed here.
Control of atomic motion with resonant laser light is the most interesting field of research which is rapidly expanding. The book discusses the latest theoretical and experimental achievements in the study of these phenomena. The fundamental questions of the theory of resonant light pressure are given in the book. They are: 1. Optical Stern-Gerlach Effect and Quantization of Atomic Motion in a Light Field; 2. Theory of Light Pressure Force and Atomic Kinetics in a Strong Field; 3. Diffraction and Interference of Atoms; 4. Velocity Bunching Effect, Cooling and Localization of Atoms in Light Field, and 5. Polarization Phenomena and Recoil Effect. The most important experiments are also discussed in this book. While the book may be used to get a primary acquaintance with the subject, specialists will also find the latest theoretical and experimental results and achievements in this field discussed here.
This conclusion presents some closing remarks on the concepts discussed in the book. Nowadays by using the mechanical forces exerted on atoms by light it is possible to achieve both cooling and trapping of atoms. The minimum temperature of atoms in laser cooling experiment and maximum density of atoms in the atomic traps permit to orient the latest research works towards ambitious goals as a realization of Bose-Einstein condensation of cold atoms, atomic interferometry, improvement of atomic clock. Another interesting possibility of using light pressure forces is the development of a new kind of optics — the optics of neutral atomic beams. This book has discussed a number of recent experiments which have demonstrated the possibility to develop several elements of this optics: atom optics with laser light. .
Kinetic phenomena of resonant-particle motion in a standing-light-wave field are theoretically discussed. The light-pressure force and its fluctuations are found in a wide range of the parameters: the atomic velocity, the intensity, and the detuning of the field. There are two characteristic regions of the detunings in a strong field: the adiabatic region and the region of Landau–Zener resonances. The quantum fluctuations of the inner atomic state that are due to the Landau–Zener transitions result, specifically, in the interference effect in the mean light-pressure force. The effects of the spatial grating of the cooled atoms, the particle velocity bunching, and the recoil-effect dependence on the nonlinear absorption are considered for slow particles. The effect of optical pumping by linearly polarized light taking into account the recoil effect is fundamentally new. Because of this effect, the anisotropic resonance medium becomes gyrotropic.
This book provides a thorough introduction to the interaction of atoms and atomic ions with optical and magnetic fields. Particular emphasis is placed on the wealth of important multilevel effects, where atomic vapours exhibit anisotropic behaviour. As well as covering the classic two-level atom approach to light-atom interactions, a general multi-level formalism is also described in detail, and used to discuss optical pumping, two-dimensional spectroscopy and nonlinear optical dynamics. The final chapter deals with the mechanical effects of light, including the cooling and trapping of atoms. With full theoretical and experimental coverage, and over 250 illustrations, the book will be of great interest to graduate students of laser spectroscopy, quantum electronics and quantum optics, and to researchers in these fields.
The influence of the resonance light pressure on the motion of atoms and molecules is studied. A kinetic equation has been obtained describing the action on particles of both the mean force of light pressure and its fluctuations. The forces that are considered are due to spontaneous and stimulated transitions and also to a certain combination thereof. The kinetic equation is used to describe the scattering of atoms in conditions close to the experimental ones [16]. The temperature of atoms cooled in a standing wave with the aid of the force of light pressure of the combined type has also been found.
The present state of research on the cooling of atomic ensembles by means of laser radiation pressure is discussed. First the basic theory of resonance radiation pressure is reviewed. The effect of recoil on the drift and fluctuations of the momentum of an atom interacting with resonance radiation is examined. There is an analysis of the forces acting on an atom in some simple light fields: a traveling plane wave, a Gaussian beam, and counterpropagating Gaussian beams. The review then focuses on the monochromatization of atoms by resonance radiation pressure and related methods for laser cooling of atoms. The roles played by the radiation pressure force and by momentum diffusion in shaping the narrow velocity distributions of the ensemble of atoms are analyzed. The lowest temperature obtainable in the radiation cooling of atoms is estimated. The basic experimental methods for laser cooling of atomic beams are described. Problems of the three-dimensional cooling of atomic ensembles and problems of localizing cold atoms in light fields, steady-state magnetic fields, and electrostatic fields are discussed. The review concludes with a discussion of some applications of cold atoms in high-precision spectroscopy, frequency standards, and atomic physics.
Abstract This book bridges the gap between introductory quantum mechanics and the research front of modern optics and scientific fields that make use of light. While suitable as a reference for the specialist in quantum optics, it also targets non-specialists from other disciplines who need to understand light and its uses in research. It introduces a single analytic tool, the density matrix, to analyze complex optical phenomena encountered in traditional as well as cross-disciplinary research. It moves swiftly in a tight sequence from elementary to sophisticated topics in quantum optics, including optical tweezers, laser cooling, coherent population transfer, optical magnetism, electromagnetically induced transparency, squeezed light, and cavity quantum electrodynamics. A systematic approach starts with the simplest systems—stationary two-level atoms—then introduces atomic motion, adds more energy levels, and moves on to discuss first-, second-, and third-order coherence effects that are the basis for analyzing new optical phenomena in incompletely characterized systems. Unconventional examples and original problems are used in exploring a mathematical methodology which can tackle virtually any new problem involving light. The steady progression from "simple" to "elaborate" makes the book accessible not only to students from traditional subject areas that make use of light, but also to researchers such as biophysicists using mechanical effects of light; photochemists developing coherent control for rare species detection; biomedical engineers imaging through scattering media; electromechanical engineers working on molecular design of materials for electronics and space; electrical and computer engineers developing schemes for quantum computation, cryptography, frequency references, and the like.