A CO/sub 2/ laser optical lattice with cold rubidium atoms

• Published in: Technical Digest. Summaries of Papers Presented at the International Quantum Electronics Conference. Conference Edition. 1998 Technical Digest Series, Vol.7 (IEEE Cat. No.98CH36236) pp. 207 - 208
• Main Authors: Weitz, M., Friebel, S., Scheunemann, R., Walz, J., Hansch, T.W.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 1998
• Subjects: Atom lasers; Atom optics; Atomic beams; Atomic measurements; Charge carrier processes; Coherence; Laser beams; Lattices; Optical polarization; Resonance
• ISBN: 9781557525413; 1557525412
• DOI: 10.1109/IQEC.1998.680419

Summary form only given.We report here the successful trapping of rubidium atoms in the antinodes of a standing wave near 10.6 /spl mu/m. This represents the realization of an optical lattice with usually large lattice period, being approximately seven times that of the excitation wavelength of the lowest electronic resonance. In a later three-dimensional configuration, more than one atom per microscopic trap could be captured at moderate average atomic densities, whereas in conventional optical lattices, only a few percent of the lattice sites are occupied.