Study of transitions in thulium atoms in the 410-420-nm range for laser cooling

Journal Article · Fri Oct 31 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2008V038N10ABEH013794· OSTI ID:21466829

Akimov, A V; Chebakov, K Yu; Tolstikhina, I Yu; Sokolov, A V; Rodionov, P B; Kanorsky, S I; Sorokin, V N; Kolachevsky, N N ^[1]

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1. P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

The possibility of laser cooling of thulium atoms is considered. The hyperfine structure of almost cyclic 4f{sup 13}6s{sup 2} (J{sub g} = 7/2) {r_reversible} 4f{sup 12}5d{sub 3/2}6s{sup 2} (J{sub e} = 9/2) and 4f{sup 13}6s{sup 2} (J{sub g} = 7/2) {r_reversible} 4f{sup 12}5d{sub 5/2}6s{sup 2} (J{sub e} = 9/2) transitions at 410.6 and 420.4 nm, respectively, is studied by the method of sub-Doppler saturation spectroscopy in counterpropagating laser beams. The hyperfine splitting of excited levels involved in these transitions is measured and the natural linewidths of these transitions are determined. The structure of the neighbouring 4f{sup 13}6s6p (J{sub e} = 5/2) and 4f{sup 12}5d{sub 5/2}6s{sup 2} (J{sub e} = 7/2) levels is studied for the first time by this method. The decay probabilities of the J{sub e} = 9/2 levels via channels removing atoms from the cooling cycle are calculated. It is found that the branching ratio for the strong transition at 410.6 nm (A = 6x10{sup 7} s{sup -1}) is smaller than 2x10{sup -5}, which makes this transition most promising for laser cooling. The laser cooling of atoms in a Zeeman cooler at this transition is simulated. The possibility of using a laser-cooled cloud of thulium atoms to study the metrological transition at 1.14 {mu}m is discussed. (laser cooling of atoms)

• OSTI ID: 21466829
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Vol. 38, Issue 10; Other Information: DOI: 10.1070/QE2008v038n10ABEH013794; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATOMS
BRANCHING RATIO
COOLING
DECAY
DOPPLER EFFECT
EXCITED STATES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
LASERS
LINE WIDTHS
PHOTON BEAMS
PROBABILITY
SIMULATION
SPECTROSCOPY
THULIUM
ZEEMAN EFFECT
BEAMS
DIMENSIONLESS NUMBERS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
METALS
RARE EARTHS