Measurement of the lifetime of rubidium atoms in a dark magneto-optical trap

Journal Article · Tue Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 2008 · Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1070/QE2008V038N09ABEH013687· OSTI ID:21476069

Permyakova, O I; Yakovlev, A V; Chapovskii, P L ^[1]

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1. Institute of Automation and Electrometry, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk (Russian Federation)

The lifetimes of rubidium atoms in a dark magneto-optical trap are measured at different populations of the 'bright' and 'dark' hyperfine states of captured atoms. It is found that the lifetime of atoms in the trap decreases if they spend more time in the bright state. A simple explanation of this effect is proposed which is based on the increase in the transport cross section for collisions of thermal rubidium atoms surrounding the trap with cold rubidium atoms upon their electronic excitation. (laser cooling)

• OSTI ID: 21476069
• Journal Information: Quantum Electronics (Woodbury, N.Y.), Vol. 38, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1070/QE2008v038n09ABEH013687; ISSN 1063-7818
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ATOM TRANSPORT
ATOMS
CROSS SECTIONS
ELECTRONS
EXCITATION
HYPERFINE STRUCTURE
LIFETIME
RUBIDIUM
TRAPS
ALKALI METALS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
METALS
NEUTRAL-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
RADIATION TRANSPORT