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arXiv:physics/0612235

Rubidium lifetime in a dark magneto-optical trap

O. I. Permyakova, A. V. Yakovlev, P. L. Chapovsky

Published Dec 24, 2006• 1 citation
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Abstract

Measurements of rubidium lifetime in a dark magneto-optical trap (DMOT) was performed at various populations of the bright and dark hyperfine states of the trapped atoms. The rubidium lifetime in the trap appeared to be shorter if the atom spent more time in the bright state. A simple explanation of this effect is based on the increase of the cross-section of rubidium collisions with the surrounding warm atoms upon rubidium electronic excitation.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.physics/0612235

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Measurements of rubidium lifetime in a dark magneto-optical trap (DMOT) was performed at various populations of the bright and dark hyperfine states of the trapped atoms. The rubidium lifetime in the trap appeared to be shorter if the atom spent more time in the bright state. A simple explanation of this effect is based on the increase of the cross-section of rubidium collisions with the surrounding warm atoms upon rubidium electronic excitation.
The lifetimes of rubidium atoms in a dark magneto-optical trap are measured at different populations of the 'bright' and 'dark' hyperfine states of captured atoms. It is found that the lifetime of atoms in the trap decreases if they spend more time in the bright state. A simple explanation of this effect is proposed which is based on the increase in the transport cross section for collisions of thermal rubidium atoms surrounding the trap with cold rubidium atoms upon their electronic excitation.
Spectral characteristics of rubidium atoms confined in a dark magneto-optical trap (DMOT) are measured, including probe absorption spectra and atom density as a function of the cooling and repumping laser frequencies. The trap can capture and cool more than 2.5 × 10 8 rubidium atoms, confining them in a hyperfine state weakly perturbed by the laser beams used to form the trap. The optical density of the trapped atomic cloud approaches 9. A qualitative model of the DMOT operation is presented, based on the experimental results obtained.
We measure the collision-rate coefficient between laser-cooled rubidium (Rb) atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and optically dark Rb+{}^{+}+ ions in an overlapping Paul trap. In such a mixture, the ions are created from the MOT atoms and allowed to accumulate in the ion trap, which results in a significant reduction in the number of steady-state MOT atoms. A theoretical rate-equation model is developed to describe the evolution of the MOT atom number due to ionization and ion-atom collisions, and we derive an expression for the ion-atom collision-rate coefficient. The loss of MOT atoms is studied systematically by sequentially switching on the various mechanisms in the experiment. Combining the measurements with the model allows the direct determination of the ion-atom collision-rate coefficient. Finally, the scope of the experimental technique developed here is discussed.
We have measured the radiative lifetimes of ns, np and nd Rydberg states of rubidium in the range 28 < n < 45. To enable long-lived states to be measured, our experiment uses slow-moving Rb atoms in a magneto-optical trap (MOT). Two experimental techniques have been adopted to reduce random and systematic errors. First, a narrow-bandwidth pulsed laser is used to excite the target Rydberg state, resulting in minimal shot-to-shot variation in the initial state population. Second, we monitor the target state population as a function of time delay from the laser pulse using a short-duration, millimetre-wave pulse that is resonant with a one- or two-photon transition. We then selectively field ionize the monitor state, and detect the resulting electrons with a micro-channel plate. This signal is an accurate mirror of the target state population, and is uncontaminated by contributions from other states which are populated by black body radiation. Our results are generally consistent with other recent experimental results obtained using a less sensitive method, and are also in excellent agreement with theory.
We present lifetime measurements of the 5D3∕25{D}_{3∕2}5D3∕2​ and 5D5∕25{D}_{5∕2}5D5∕2​ states of rubidium using the time-correlated single-photon-counting method. We perform the experiment in a magneto-optical trap of 87Rb^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms using a two-step excitation with the trap laser at 780nm780\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}780nm as the first step. We record the 761.9nm761.9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}761.9nm fluorescence from the decay of the 5D3∕25{D}_{3∕2}5D3∕2​ state to the 5P1∕25{P}_{1∕2}5P1∕2​ state, and measure the lifetime of the 5D3∕25{D}_{3∕2}5D3∕2​ state $\ensuremath{\tau}=246.3(1.6)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$. We record the 420.2nm420.2\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm}420.2nm fluorescence from the cascade decay of the 5D5∕25{D}_{5∕2}5D5∕2​ state to the 5S1∕25{S}_{1∕2}5S1∕2​ state through the 6P3∕26{P}_{3∕2}6P3∕2​ state, and extract the lifetime of the 5D5∕25{D}_{5∕2}5D5∕2​ state $\ensuremath{\tau}=238.5(2.3)\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$.
We present a lifetime measurement of the 6s6s6s level of rubidium. We use a time-correlated single-photon counting technique on two different samples of rubidium atoms, a vapor cell with variable rubidium density, and a sample of atoms confined and cooled in a magneto-optical trap. The 5P1∕25{P}_{1∕2}5P1∕2​ level serves as the resonant intermediate step for the two-step excitation to the 6s6s6s level. We detect the decay of the 6s6s6s level through the cascade fluorescence of the 5P3∕25{P}_{3∕2}5P3∕2​ level at 780 nm. The two samples have different systematic effects, but we obtain consistent results that averaged give a lifetime of $45.57\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.17\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{ns}$.