Deceleration, trapping, and two-photon cooling of calcium atoms

Abstract

We report on a system for atomic beam deceleration and magneto-optical trapping of calcium atoms that uses the S-1(0)-P-1(1) transition, in which a single laser is used to trap and slow the atoms. The slower laser beam is focused near the magneto-optical trap's center, which has a waist size much smaller than the atomic cloud such that its influence on the trapped atoms is greatly reduced. We also investigate the theoretical possibility of cooling by use of a two-photon (4s(2))S-1(0)-(4s5s)S-1(0) transition. Excitation near resonance with the P-1(1) level results in an equilibrium temperature seven times smaller than the Doppler limit of the S-1(0)-P-1(1) transition.

We report on a system for atomic beam deceleration and magneto-optical trapping of calcium atoms that uses the S-1(0)-P-1(1) transition, in which a single laser is used to trap and slow the atoms. The slower laser beam is focused near the magneto-optical trap's center, which has a waist size much smaller than the atomic cloud such that its influence on the trapped atoms is greatly reduced. We also investigate the theoretical possibility of cooling by use of a two-photon (4s(2))S-1(0)-(4s5s)S-1(0) transition. Excitation near resonance with the P-1(1) level results in an equilibrium temperature seven times smaller than the Doppler limit of the S-1(0)-P-1(1) transition.