Cooling and trapping of atoms by resonance radiation pressure

Opt Lett. 1979 Jun 1;4(6):161-3. doi: 10.1364/ol.4.000161.

Abstract

The combined use of trapping and cooling laser beams for optical trapping and cooling of neutral atoms by the forces of resonance radiation pressure is examined. Calculations show that atoms can be held in traps as deep as 10(-4) eV at temperatures of ~10(-3) K, close to the minimum set by quantum fluctuations. Spatial confinement of atoms to a region a fraction of a wavelength in length should be possible.