Abstract

Light can exert substantial forces on atoms through the exchange of momentum during absorption anti emission of photons. These radiative forces can manipulate neutral atoms to reduce their random thermal velocities and to confine or trap the atoms in space. Laser cooling has produced atoms with temperatures only a few microdegrees above absolute zero in three dimensions, and in the nanokelvin range in one dimension. Atoms have been trapped in microscopic, purely optical potential wells having dimensions less than the wavelength of light, while larger traps have held over 10¹⁰ atoms at densities over 10¹² cm³.

© 1993 Optical Society of America