Abstract

We propose a new method to produce a continuous source of spin-polarized cold atoms which are all-optically guided after their extraction from a magneto-optical trap (MOT), as depicted in Fig. 1 (a). The techniques combines several physical effects and relies on light-shift engineering [Fig. 1 (b)], implemented using two coaxially overlapped optical beams each one driving a given transition of a three-level atom in a ladder configuration (Ξ-system). In a well chosen configuration, the light-shift creates a state-dependent potential which implements the atom-diode [1] responsible for the continuous extraction of the atoms from a MOT into an all-optical guide.

© 2013 IEEE