Martin Fischer
The control of atomic and molecular
translational motion by laser cooling has been a central theme in
physics for the past 30 years. While this method has been very
successful, it has also been limited to a small set of atoms in the
periodic table.
In
a recent breakthough, we have demonstrated a new method of direct
magnetic slowing of supersonic beams without light. This work will
enable trapping of any paramagnetic atom or molecule at mK
temperatures. Further cooling with lasers then becomes an important
goal, but a new approach must be used that does not require a
cycling transition. We have now developed such a method, based on an
optical "one-way wall" for atoms. This requires that each
atom only scatters one photon on average, and the cooling can be
interpreted as a Maxwell demon that utilizes information rather than
momentum kicks. Our experimental progress on this new cooling
method will be reported.