Abstract
We report the observation of three-dimensional cooling of cesium atoms using a four-beam optical molasses tuned to the blue side of the =3→=2 hyperfine component of the 6→6 transition. The cooling mechanism is a Sisyphus effect involving atomic states that are nearly uncoupled from the light field. Starting from a magneto-optical trap at 70 μK, the cooling time was on the order of 1 ms with almost 100% capture efficiency and temperature smaller than 5 μK measured. We also present a probe transmission spectrum showing that almost all the atoms are found in the nearly dark states.
- Received 28 July 1995
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.52.R3425
©1995 American Physical Society