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Two-Photon Doppler cooling of alkaline-earth-metal and ytterbium atoms

Wictor C. Magno·Reinaldo L. Cavasso Filho·Flavio C. Cruz
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Abstract

A new possibility of laser cooling of alkaline-earth-metal and Ytterbium atoms using a two-photon transition is analyzed. We consider a $^{1}S_{0}$ - $^{1}S_{0}$ transition, with excitation in near resonance with the $^{1}P_{1}$ level. This greatly increases the two-photon transition rate, allowing an effective transfer of momentum. The experimental implementation of this technique is discussed and we show that for Calcium, for example, two-photon cooling can be used to achieve a Doppler limit of 123 microKelvin. The efficiency of this cooling scheme and the main loss mechanisms are analyzed.

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Wictor C. Magno, Reinaldo L. Cavasso Filho, Flavio C. Cruz. 2003-03-10. Two-Photon Doppler cooling of alkaline-earth-metal and ytterbium atoms. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreva.67.043407

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