Quantum calculations for one-dimensional cooling of helium
We report theoretical velocity distributions for sub-Doppler laser cooling of metastable He*(2{sup 3}S), calculated with the Density Matrix and Monte Carlo Wavefunction approaches. For low-field (B = 50 mG) magnetic-field induced laser cooling on the 2{sup 3}S {yields} (2{sup 3}P, J = 2) transition ({lambda} = 1083 nm), we get a narrow, sub-Doppler structure, consisting of three, {approximately}1 photon recoil wide peaks, spaced {approximately}1 recoil apart. With increasing field, this three-peak structure develops into two velocity-selective resonance (VSR) peaks, each {approximately}2 recoils wide. For the 2{sup 3}S {yields} (3{sup 3}P, J = 2) transition ({lambda} 389 nm), VSR peaks are predicted to appear at low field without the third, central peak, which only develops at higher field (B = 200 mG). Additional computations deal with polarization-gradient cooling. In general, we find that for one-dimensional cooling calculations, the Density Matrix method is more efficient than the Monte Carlo Wavefunction approach. Experiments are currently under way to test the results.
- OSTI ID:
- 281531
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9305421-; ISSN 0003-0503; TRN: 96:019457
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Vol. 38, Issue 3; Conference: 1993 American Physical Society annual meeting on atomic, molecular, and topical physics, Reno, NV (United States), 16-19 May 1993; Other Information: PBD: May 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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