corner
corner
APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. A » Volume 55 » Issue 2
< Previous Article | Next Article >

Phys. Rev. A 55, 1331–1338 (1997)

Laser collimation of a chromium beam

Download: PDF (155 kB) Buy this article Export: BibTeX or EndNote (RIS)

R. E. Scholten, R. Gupta, J. J. McClelland, and R. J. Celotta
Electron Physics Group, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

M. S. Levenson and M. G. Vangel
Statistical Engineering Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899

Received 19 August 1996; published in the issue dated February 1997

We have studied laser collimation of a chromium atomic beam using a transverse polarization gradient cooling scheme. We present detailed measurements of the angular distribution of atoms on the beam axis, over a broad range of laser intensities and detunings, including those that produce significant excitation, and observe collimation angles as small as 0.16±0.01 mrad (50% quantile). We compare our results with existing calculations based on assumptions of steady-state conditions and low excited-state population.

© 1997 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevA.55.1331
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevA.55.1331
PACS:
32.80.Pj, 42.50.Vk
 
< Previous Article | Next Article >