Abstract
We analyze the influence of the dipole-dipole interaction between ground and excited state atoms on atomic cooling by velocity-selective coherent population trapping. We consider two three-level atoms in the λ-configuration, interacting with two counterpropagating laser fields as well as with the electromagnetic vacuum modes. The elimination of these modes in the Born-Markov approximation results in spontaneous decay, which is essential in providing the momentum diffusion necessary for cooling, as well as a two-body dipole-dipole interaction between ground-and excited-state atoms. The corresponding two-body master equation is solved numerically by Monte-Carlo wave-function simulations. Our main result is that although a dark state survives the inclusion of dipole-dipole interactions, the presence of this interaction can significantly slow down the cooling process for sufficiently high atomic densities.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A. Aspect, E. Arimondo, R. Kaiser, N. Vansteenkiste, C. Cohen-Tannoudji: Phys. Rev. Lett.61, 826 (1988) A. Aspect, E. Arimondo, R. Kaiser, N. Vansteenkiste. C. Cohen-Tannoudji: J. Opt. Soc. Am. B6, 2112 (1989) C. Cohen-Tannoudji: InFundamental Systems in Quantum Optics, ed. by J. Dalibard, J.M. Raimond, J. Zinn-Justin (North-Holland, Amsterdam 1992)
E. Arimondo: InLaser Manipulation of Atoms and Ions, ed. by E. Arimondo, W.D. Phillips, F. Strumia (North-Holland. Amsterdam 1992)
M. Kasevich, S. Chu: Phys. Rev. Lett.69, 1741 (1992)
G. Alzetta, A. Gozzini, L. Moi, G. Orriols: Nuovo Cimento B36, 5 (1976)
E. Arimondo, G. Orriols: Lett. Nuovo Cimento17, 33 (1976)
Collisions between the 23 S 1 and 23 P 2 states of He in a MOT in the presence of laser light have been studied by F. Bardou, O. Emile, J.-M. Courty, C.I. Westbrook, A. Aspect: Europhys. Lett.20, 681 (1992). The authors found this rate to be unusually large compared to the Penning collision rate between 23 S 1 and 23 S 1 states
F. Bardou, J.P. Bouchaud, O. Emile, A. Aspect, C. Cohen-Tannoudji: Phys. Rev. Lett.72, 203 (1994)
C. Cohen-Tannoudji, F.Bardou, A. Aspect: InLaser Spectroscopy X, ed. by M. Ducloy, E. Giacobino, G. Camy (World Scientific, Singapore 1992)
K. Mølmer, Y. Castin, J. Dalibard: J. Opt. Soc. Am. B10, 524 (1993)
R. Graham, F. Haake: InQuantum Statistics in Optics and Solid-State Physics, ed. by G. Höhler, Springer Tracts Mod. Phys., Vol. 66 (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1973)
P. Meystre, M. Sargent, III:Elements of Quantum Optics, 2nd edn. (Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 1991)
G.S. Agarwal: InCoherence and Quantum Optics, ed. by L. Mandel, E. Wolfe (Plenum, New York 1973)
G. Lenz, P. Meystre: Phys. Rev. A48, 3365 (1993)
M. Wilkens, E. Schumacher, P. Meystre: Opt. Commun.86, 34 (1991)
For the description of such an approach in the case of two-level atoms, see G. Lenz, P. Meystre, E.M. Wright: Phys. Rev. A50, 1681 (1994)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Dedicated to H. Walther on the occasion of his 60th birthday
Strictly speaking, VSCPT is not a true cooling mechanism. The final atomic distribution cannot be characterized by a temperature, so that there is some ambiguity in characterizing the “cooling” efficiency. We return to this point in Sect. 3
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goldstein, E., Pax, P., Schernthanner, K.J. et al. Influence of the dipole-dipole interaction on velocity-selective coherent population trapping. Appl. Phys. B 60, 161–167 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01135858
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01135858