Abstract

We demonstrate a new type of 3D optical lattice for atoms. By choosing a large detuning of several nm to the blue of an open transition we were able to achieve coherent storage times of up to 1 s in the dark spots of the lattice. As the quantization of the atomic motion is clearly resolved each potential well can be viewed as a microresonator for atoms. The applied pumping scheme of the resonator opens up the way for continuously pumped laser-like schemes for atomic de Broglie waves[1].

© 1996 Optical Society of America