Kazuko Shimizu

Laser induced fluorescence spectra of the a 3Πu–X 1Σ+g band of Na2 by molecular beam

Laser induced fluorescence spectra of the a 3Πu–X 1Σ+g band of Na2 are studied using the crossed molecular beam and laser technique in the wavelength region 14 700–16 000 cm−1. All band origins of a 3Πu0–X 1Σ+g, v″=0 transitions in this wavelength region are observed. Their wavelengths are tabulated and analyzed.

Four-beam laser trap of neutral atoms

An efficient spontaneous-force laser trap of neutral atoms without standing waves is demonstrated by using the Ne 1s(5) metastable state. The metastable Ne beam is decelerated by a laser by using Zeeman tuning and is trapped in a trap consisting of a quadrupole magnetic field and four laserbeams in a tetrahedral configuration. The dynamics of atomic motion from the deceleration stage to the trap is discussed.

A high intensity metastable neon trap

Abstract A high intensity laser trap for metastable neon atoms has been developed. It is composed of a two-dimensional transverse laser collimator, a Zeeman-tuned longitudinal decelerator and a tetrahedral spontaneous-force trap. Using a gas with natural abundance,trapping of 10 8 , 2.5 × 10 7 and 3 × 10 6 atoms is achieved for 20 Ne, 22 Ne and 21 Ne, respectively.

Generation of an intense low-velocity metastable-neon atomic beam

A metastable neon (1S5) atomic beam with a velocity of 394 m/s (373 K) and an intensity of 1.1×1015 s−1 sr−1 is produced with a novel construction using a dc glow discharge.

Laser Cooling and Trapping of Li

Neutral 7Li and 6Li atoms are laser cooled and trapped using the 22P3/2(F=3)↔22S1/2(F=2) and 22P3/2(F=5/2)↔22S1/2(F=3/2) transitions, respectively. The Zeeman tuning is employed in the deceleration stage. Using a magneto-optical trap with a tetrahedral laser-beam configuration the atomic density of 3×109 atoms/cm3 is obtained for 7Li and a half of that for 6Li. The measured temperature of the trapped 7Li atoms is 350±40 µK when the detuning is 8 MHz to the red.

The measurement of the lifetime of a 3Πu0 state of Na2

Lifetime of the a 3Πu0 state of Na2 in the collisionless regime was measured by the time resolved laser induced fluorescence of the a 3Πu0–X 1Σ+u transitions. For levels which have a close coincidence with the A 1Σ+u level, the observed lifetime was explained by the radiative decay induced by the mixing with the perturbing A 1Σ+u level. For other levels, it was found to be 3.0–4.5 μs.

Stark Phase Shift and Deflection in the Ultracold Atomic Interferometer

Phase shift and deflection of interference patterns induced by the static electric field are studied in an optically cooled 1s3 metastable neon interferometer with Youngs double-slit configuration.

Ridged atomic mirrors and atomic nanoscope

Recent results on the reflection of waves from ridged mirrors are discussed. Numerical calculations, analytical estimates and the direct measurements of coefficient of specular reflection of atomic waves from solid-state mirrors are combined. The reflectivity is approximated as an elementary function of period L of ridges, their width l, wavenumber K, grazing angle θ and effective depth w of the van der Waals potential. In a special case L = l, the fit reproduces the reflectivity of flat surfaces. Our approximation allows us to optimize the L at given l and estimate the maximum performance of a ridged mirror. Such a mirror is suggested as a focusing element for the nano-scale imaging system.

Laser Cooling of a Neon Atomic Beam in Metastable States

A neon atomic beam in the 1s5 (J=2) metastable level is cooled by a counterpropagating laser beam using 1s5-2p9 transition. By transferring the 1s5 population to the 1s3 (J=0) metastable level using the optical pumping through 2p2, a cooled 1s3 beam is also generated.

Selective vibrational pumping of Na2 molecular beams by two-photon processes

Abstract A continuous Na 2 molecular beam was selectively pumped to a vibrationally excited state ν = 9, J = 18 either by folded two-step pumping or by an induced Raman process using two continuous-wave dye lasers. The maximum intensity in the ν = 9, J = 18 state was approximately 10 6 s −1 or 10 11 s −1 sterad −1 .