Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Two-photon cooling of magnesium atoms

Journal Article · · Physical Review. A
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVA.72.0· OSTI ID:20786427
A two-photon mechanism for cooling atoms below the Doppler temperature is analyzed. We consider the magnesium ladder system (3s{sup 2}){sup 1}S{sub 0}{yields}(3s3p){sup 1}P{sub 1} at 285.2 nm followed by the (3s3p){sup 1}P{sub 1}{yields}(3s3d){sup 1}D{sub 2} transition at 880.7 nm. For the ladder system quantum coherence effects may become important. Combined with the basic two-level Doppler cooling process this allows for reduction of the atomic sample temperature by more than a factor of 10 over a broad frequency range. First experimental evidence for the two-photon cooling process is presented and compared to model calculations. Agreement between theory and experiment is excellent. In addition, by properly choosing the Rabi frequencies of the two optical transitions a velocity independent atomic dark state is observed.
OSTI ID:
20786427
Journal Information:
Physical Review. A, Journal Name: Physical Review. A Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 72; ISSN 1050-2947; ISSN PLRAAN
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Optical quenching of metastable magnesium
Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review. A · OSTI ID:21020749

3s/sup 2/-3s3p and 3s3p-3s3d transitions in magnesium-like ions from Sr/sup 26 +/ to Rh/sup 33 +/
Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Opt. Soc. Am.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5830495

Rate coefficients for electron impact excitation of magnesium-like ions
Journal Article · Mon Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1988 · At. Data Nucl. Data Tables; (United States) · OSTI ID:6590170