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Single-Photon Atomic Cooling - Raizen Lab - The University of ...

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a) b) c)<br />

external<br />

potential<br />

one-way-wall<br />

Figure 1.6: (a) A non-interacting atomic ensemble is placed in an external<br />

confining potential along with a one-way-wall which is initially placed such<br />

that none <strong>of</strong> the atoms have sufficient energy to reach it. (b) <strong>The</strong> one-waywall<br />

is slowly swept towards the trap center, capturing atoms as it encounters<br />

them at their turning points. (c) <strong>The</strong> one-way-wall continues its sweep, eventually<br />

capturing all the atoms and returning them to the center <strong>of</strong> the external<br />

confining potential with reduced kinetic energy.<br />

particle interactions to work, as does evaporative cooling [23]. This feature<br />

further generalizes and extends its potential applicability.<br />

This section served as an introduction to the concept <strong>of</strong> single-photon<br />

cooling. In summary, this technique begins by trapping an atomic ensemble<br />

in a conservative potential. <strong>The</strong>n, a one-way-wall for atoms is positioned in<br />

the wings <strong>of</strong> the trap. <strong>Cooling</strong> is initiated by slowly sweeping the one-way-<br />

wall towards the center <strong>of</strong> the conservative potential. <strong>The</strong> sweep must be slow<br />

compared to the oscillation frequency <strong>of</strong> the trapped atoms, so that they first<br />

encounter it near a turning point. After transmitting through the one-way-<br />

wall near a turning point atoms become trapped with little kinetic energy. <strong>The</strong><br />

atoms become trapped because they are placed into a different internal state<br />

15

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