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arXiv:physics/0401055 · Physical Review Letters

Narrow Line Cooling: Finite Photon Recoil Dynamics

Thomas H. Loftus, T. Ido, Andrew D. Ludlow, Martin M. Boyd, Jun Ye

Published Aug 13, 2004• 81 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We present an extensive study of the unique thermal and mechanical dynamics for narrow-line cooling on the 1S0-3P1 88Sr transition. For negative detuning, trap dynamics reveal a transition from the semiclassical regime to the photon-recoil-dominated quantum regime, yielding an absolute minima in the equilibrium temperature below the single-photon-recoil limit. For positive detuning, the cloud divides into discrete momentum packets whose alignment mimics lattice points on a face-centered-cubic crystal. This novel behavior arises from velocity selection and "positive feedback" acceleration due to a finite number of photon recoils. Cooling is also achieved with blue-detuned light around a velocity where gravity balances the radiative force.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.93.073003

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We present an extensive study of the unique thermal and mechanical dynamics for narrow-line cooling on the 1S0-3P1 88Sr transition. For negative detuning, trap dynamics reveal a transition from the semiclassical regime to the photon-recoil-dominated quantum regime, yielding an absolute minima in the equilibrium temperature below the single-photon-recoil limit. For positive detuning, the cloud divides into discrete momentum packets whose alignment mimics lattice points on a face-centered-cubic crystal. This novel behavior arises from velocity selection and "positive feedback" acceleration due to a finite number of photon recoils. Cooling is also achieved with blue-detuned light around a velocity where gravity balances the radiative force.
We present an extensive study of the unique thermal and mechanical dynamics for a narrow-line 1S0^1S_01S0​ - 3P1^3P_13P1​ 88^{88}88Sr magneto-optical trap. For negative detuning, trap dynamics reveal a transition from the semiclassical regime to the photon-recoil-dominated quantum regime. Equilibrium temperatures range from detuning-independent values scaled by the power-broadened transition width, to detuning-dependent minima well below the Doppler limit, to absolute minima below the single-photon recoil limit. For positive detuning, the cloud divides into discrete momentum packets resembling lattice points on a face-centered-cubic crystal. This novel behavior arises from velocity selection and "positive feedback" acceleration due to a finite number of photon recoils. Cooling is achieved with blue-detuned light around a velocity where gravity balances the radiative force.
Narrow line laser cooling is advancing the frontier for experiments ranging from studies of fundamental atomic physics to high precision optical frequency standards. In this paper, we present an extensive description of the systems and techniques necessary to realize 689nm689\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}689nm $^{1}S_{0}\text{\ensuremath{-}}^{3}P_{1}$ narrow line cooling of atomic 88Sr^{88}\mathrm{Sr}88Sr. Narrow line cooling and trapping dynamics are also studied in detail. By controlling the relative size of the power broadened transition linewidth and the single-photon recoil frequency shift, we show that it is possible to smoothly bridge the gap between semiclassical and quantum mechanical cooling. Novel semiclassical cooling processes, some of which explicitly depend on the relative size of gravity and the radiative force, are also explored. Moreover, for laser frequencies tuned above the atomic resonance, we demonstrate momentum-space crystals containing up to 26 well defined lattice points. Gravitationally assisted cooling is also achieved with blue-detuned light. Theoretically, we find the blue detuned dynamics are universal to Doppler limited systems. This paper offers the most comprehensive study of narrow line laser cooling to date.
The laser cooling of atoms with a narrow-line optical transition, i.e., in regimes of quantum nature of laser-light interactions resulting in a significant recoil effect, is studied. It is demonstrated that a minimum laser-cooling temperature for two-level atoms in a standing wave reached for red detuning close to three recoil frequencies is vastly different from the theory used for a semiclassical description of Doppler cooling. A set of dimensionless parameters uniquely characterizing the time evolution and the steady state of different atoms with narrow-line optical transitions in the laser field is introduced. The results can be used for analysis of optimal conditions for laser cooling of atoms with narrow lines such as Ca, Sr, and Mg, which are of great interest for atomic clocks.
We study the laser cooling of atoms with a narrow-line optical transition in monochromatic laser light, i.e. in regimes of quantum nature of laser-light interactions resulting in a significant recoil effect. It is demonstrated that a minimum laser cooling temperature for two-level atom in standing wave reached for red detuning close to 3 recoil frequency, greatly different from the theory used for a semiclassical description of Doppler cooling. A set of dimensionless parameters uniquely characterizing the time evolution and the steady state of different atoms with narrow-line optical transitions in the laser field is introduced. The results can be used for analysis of optimal conditions for laser cooling of atoms with narrow lines such as Ca, Sr, and Mg, which are of great interest for atomic clocks.
We study laser cooling of atoms with narrow-line optical transition, i.e. in regimes when quantum nature of laser-light interactions results significant effect on atom kinetics. We demonstrate the minimum of laser cooing temperature is reached for the light field detuning close to -3 recoil frequency, i.e. is much differ from standard Doppler cooling theory is used for semiclassical description of laser cooling. We define a set of dimensionless parameters that describe the steady state solution of cold atom distribution in laser light and cooling time. The results can be used for analysis an optimal conditions of laser cooling of atoms with narrow lines Ca, Sr and Mg are of interest for optical time standards.
We report on observing photon recoil effects in the absorption of a single monochromatic light at 689 nm through an ultracold 88Sr gas, where the recoil frequency is comparable to natural linewidth of the narrow-line transition 5s2 1S0–5s5p 3P1 in strontium. In the regime of high-saturation, the absorption profile becomes asymmetric due to the photon-recoil shift, which is of the same order as the natural linewidth. The lineshape is described by an extension of the optical Bloch equations including the momentum transfers to atoms during emission and absorption of photons. Our work reveals the photon recoil effects in a simplest single-beam absorption setting, which is of significant relevance to other applications such as saturation spectroscopy, Ramsey interferometry, and absorption imaging.