Abstract

We have observed the continuous loading of a region of optical molasses for the first time, we believe. Optical molasses is the 3-D viscous confinement of atoms^1,2 by the velocity-dependent forces of radiation pressure. Atoms are cooled and confined to a region defined by the intersection of three mutually orthogonal pairs of counterpropagating laser beams which are tuned slightly below the atomic resonance. Loading of the molasses region is accomplished using the slow (v<50-m/s) atoms which are produced continuously by laser cooling an atomic sodium beam. The beam cooling utilizes a fixed laser frequency and a spatially varying magnetic field for compensation of the changing Doppler shift.²

© 1987 Optical Society of America