Influence of the dipole-dipole interaction on velocity-selective coherent population trapping

E. Goldstein, P. Pax, K. J. Schernthanner, B. Taylor, P. Meystre

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Scopus citations

Abstract

We analyze the influence of the dipole-dipole interaction between ground and excited state atoms on atomic cooling by velocity-selective coherent population trapping. We consider two three-level atoms in the λ-configuration, interacting with two counterpropagating laser fields as well as with the electromagnetic vacuum modes. The elimination of these modes in the Born-Markov approximation results in spontaneous decay, which is essential in providing the momentum diffusion necessary for cooling, as well as a two-body dipole-dipole interaction between ground-and excited-state atoms. The corresponding two-body master equation is solved numerically by Monte-Carlo wave-function simulations. Our main result is that although a dark state survives the inclusion of dipole-dipole interactions, the presence of this interaction can significantly slow down the cooling process for sufficiently high atomic densities.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)161-167
Number of pages7
JournalApplied Physics B Laser and Optics
Volume60
Issue number2-3
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1995

Keywords

  • 42.50.Vk

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
  • General Physics and Astronomy

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