Temperature limits in laser cooling of free atoms with three-level transitions

Abstract

Summary form only given. We consider laser cooling of free atoms with simultaneous two-color excitation of three-level cascade transitions [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6] finding theoretically that temperatures below the Doppler limits associated with each one of the individual transitions are obtained. We use standard laser cooling analysis [7], [8] and the dressed state picture in order to identify different cooling regions, and determining optimum parameters for guiding further experiments. These new “sub-Doppler” limits are reached at the two-photon resonance where a significant increase of the damping coefficient and decrease of the diffusion take place. In the dressed state picture, this point corresponds to a crossing of the narrow and a (partially) dark state.Figure 1 shows a plot of temperature (normalized to the Doppler limit for cooling only on the lower transition) as function of single-photon detunings, for the 1S0-1P1-1D2 transition of Magnesium, in which the lower 1S0-1P1 transition is the usual cooling one (λ1 = 2πc/ω1 = 285 nm, λ2 = 2πc/ω2 = 881 nm, γ1 = 2π 78.8 MHz, γ2 = 2π 2.2 MHz). A minimum temperature of 38 μK is predicted. This temperature is lower than the Doppler temperature of the lower and upper transitions, TD = γ/k = 1.9 mK and 49 μK respectively. Due to the asymmetric absorption profile of the dressed atom, there is a remarkable increase in the damping coefficient (α) associated with the narrow transition, in comparison with the broad transition (two-level cooling). The cooling and damping times, inversely proportional to α, are reduced by the same amount. Since the curve for the diffusion coefficient (D) has the same shape as the curve for the absorption coefficient or the population of the intermediate state, D is also reduced with respect to the broad resonance, We analyze situations previously implemented experimentally in alkaline-Earth atoms using cascade transitions, and also discuss prospects for Aand V-type three-level systems.