Pulsed sub-recoil laser cooling of atoms

Abstract

In this paper we propose a new and simple velocity selective method, which combines the velocity selective coherent population trapping of atoms in a light field and the kinetic energy coupling between the dark state and coupled state(s) during free flight, in order to reach a very narrow momentum distribution in a short period of time. This technique combined with force-assisted velocity selective coherent population trapping can produce very efficient cooling and trapping. It can also be used to overcome the cooling limit caused by the leakage of the dark state.