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Optics Express

Optics Express

  • Editor: C. Martijn de Sterke
  • Vol. 15, Iss. 26 — Dec. 24, 2007
  • pp: 17699–17708

Optics InfoBase > Optics Express > Volume 15 > Issue 26 > Page 17699

Absorption-induced trapping in an anisotropic magneto-optical trap

Joel A. Greenberg, Marcos Oria, Andrew M. C. Dawes, and Daniel J. Gauthier  »View Author Affiliations


Optics Express, Vol. 15, Issue 26, pp. 17699-17708 (2007)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/OE.15.017699


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Abstract

We report on a simple anisotropic magneto-optical trap for neutral atoms that produces a large sample of cold atoms confined in a cylindrically-shaped volume with a high aspect ratio (100:1). Due to the large number of trapped atoms, the laser beams that propagate along the optically thick axis of the trap to cool the atoms are substantially attenuated. We demonstrate that the resulting intensity imbalance produces a net force that spatially localizes the atoms. This limits both the trap length and the total number of trapped atoms. Rotating the cooling beams by a small angle relative to the trap axis avoids the problem of attenuation, and atoms can be trapped throughout the entire available trapping volume. Numerical and experimental results are reported that demonstrate the effects of absorption in an anisotropic trap, and a steady-state, line-center optical path length of 55 is measured for a probe beam propagating along the length of the trap.

© 2007 Optical Society of America

OCIS Codes
(020.7010) Atomic and molecular physics : Laser trapping
(190.0190) Nonlinear optics : Nonlinear optics
(020.3320) Atomic and molecular physics : Laser cooling

ToC Category:
Trapping

History
Original Manuscript: October 15, 2007
Revised Manuscript: December 3, 2007
Manuscript Accepted: December 7, 2007
Published: December 12, 2007

Citation
Joel A. Greenberg, Marcos Oria, Andrew M. C. Dawes, and Daniel J. Gauthier, "Absorption-induced trapping in an anisotropic magneto-optical trap," Opt. Express 15, 17699-17708 (2007)
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/oe/abstract.cfm?URI=oe-15-26-17699


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