Atom femtosecond optical trap based on spectrally filtered laser radiation

Abstract

Abstract We have examined the use of alkali metal (rubidium) vapour for spectral filtering of broadband pulsed laser light that is used to produce a femtosecond pulsed optical dipole trap. It has been shown that, even at large detuning of the centre emission frequency from the frequency of atomic transitions, spectral components present in the wings of the laser emission line are capable of heating localised atoms, thus reducing their lifetime in the atomic trap. Using atomic vapour for filtering the laser emission spectrum, we have suppressed its spectral components resulting in heating. This has made it possible to increase the lifetime of atoms in the pulsed optical dipole trap to a value comparable to their lifetime in an optical trap formed by narrow-band cw laser light.