Abstract

Our aim is to generate a bright mono-energetic sodium beam with a well-defined momentum. Different laser cooling techniques have been used recently to manipulate neutral atomic beams.^1–3 However, to cool the full thermal atomic beam with laser radiation pressure to a desired average velocity with narrow spatial and velocity spread remains a challenging task. In addition to its use in collision experiments, including cold atom collisions, such a beam can be used for surface collision studies, continuous loading of a three-dimensional magneto-optical trap, and atomic interferometry.

© 1993 Optical Society of America