https://doi.org/10.1007/s100530170002
Photoionization cross-sections of the first excited states of sodium and lithium in a magneto-optical trap
1
Institut für Experimentalphysik, Technische Universität Graz,
Petersgasse 16, 8010 Graz, Austria
2
INFM, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pisa,
Via F. Buonarroti 2, 56127 Pisa, Italy
Corresponding authors: a vw@iep.tu-graz.ac.at - b l.windholz@iep.tu-graz.ac.at
Received:
21
March
2001
Revised:
3
August
2001
Published online: 15 December 2001
A two element magneto-optical trap (MOT) for Na and 7Li or 6Li is used to cool and trap each of them separately. A fraction of the cold atoms is maintained in the first 2P3/2 excited state by the cooling laser. These excited state atoms are ionized by laser light in the near-UV region, giving rise to a smaller number of trapped atoms and to different loading parameters. Photoionization cross-sections were derived out of these data. They are in reasonable agreement with data previously obtained using thermal samples and with theoretical predictions.
PACS: 32.80.Pj – Optical cooling of atoms; trapping / 32.80.Fb – Photoionization of atoms and ions
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2001