Journal article
Fluorescence polarization imaging of Sisyphus cooling in an atomic beam
BM Sparkes, KP Weber, CJ Hawthorn, MR Walkiewicz, EJD Vredenbregt, RE Scholten
Physical Review A Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics | AMER PHYSICAL SOC | Published : 2015
Abstract
Sisyphus cooling plays an important role in many cold atom applications including the formation of Bose-Einstein condensates and collimation of atomic beams. Here we present a method for measuring the localization of atoms by monitoring the polarization of fluorescence, providing a quantitative two-dimensional image of the cooling process. We outline the concept and provide theoretical models for the optical pumping, cooling, and channeling mechanisms, and present experimental data revealing the development of strong fluorescence polarization in an atomic beam during transverse (lin-lin) cooling.
Grants
Funding Acknowledgements
We thank P. M. Farrell and R. P. Anderson for helpful discussions. This work was supported by the Australian Research Council. B.M.S. gratefully acknowledges the support of a University of Melbourne McKenzie Fellowship.