Transverse laser cooling of a velocity-selected sodium atomic beam

Abstract

The transverse velocity distribution of a sodium atomic beam, laser cooled in one dimension, has been measured with sub-recoil resolution. A velocity-selective detection system was employed to separate the longitudinal and transverse velocity components to provide a direct measure of the transverse velocity distribution. The effects of varying the cooling laser intensity and detuning on the derived transverse temperature are presented, and show a remarkable insensitivity to the laser intensity. Atomic velocities within a factor of two of the recoil velocity are achieved.