Velocity selective trapping of atoms in a frequency-modulated laser field
V. Yu. Argonov
Laboratory of Geophysical Hydrodynamics, H'ichew Pacific Oceanological Institute of the RAS, 690041 Vladivostok, Russia
Abstract
The wave function of a moderately cold atom in a stationary
near-resonant standing light wave delocalizes very fast due to wave packet
splitting. However, we show that frequency modulation of the field
may suppress packet splitting for some atoms having specific
velocities in a narrow range. These atoms remain localized in a small space
for a long time. We propose that in a real experiment with cold atomic gas this
effect may decrease the velocity distribution of atoms (the field traps the atoms with
such specific velocities while all other atoms leave the field).