Abstract

Dark states created by coherent population trapping are important for many topics of current interest, including subrecoil laser cooling of atoms, electromagnetically induced transparency or lasing without inversion. However, experiments in laser cooling and manipulating of atoms have so far been limited to very few alkalis atoms, mostly due to the very specific spectroscopic arrangements required. In particular, coherent population trapping is normally generated in a three level Λ system where two absorption pathways interfere destructively.

© 1998 IEEE