Degenerate Raman sideband cooling of 40K atoms

Abstract

Ultracold atoms experiments require several cooling stages before the gas can be used for the intended purpose. Sub-recoil laser cooling techniques are relatively fast, incurring small losses and leaving the atoms at a specific internal state. In this lecture, I will present the first implementation with fermionic potassium 40 atoms of a technique called degenerate Raman sideband cooling. In this technique, Raman transitions, driven by a confining 3D lattice, remove vibrational energy. Optical pumping light closes the cooling cycle. In the experiment, we achieve temperatures as low as 1uK while spin polarizing the sample. I will present the experimental apparatus, including the laser systems built for this purpose. Finally, I will discuss the dependence of the cooling scheme on various parameters, such as the Raman detuning, duration, and the applied magnetic field.

https://technion.zoom.us/j/94516920602