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.