Frequency-comb-induced radiation pressure force in dense atomic clouds

Abstract

We investigate the frequency comb induced radiation pressure force acting on a cloud of cold ${}^{87}$Rb atoms. Reduction and spectral broadening of the frequency comb force are observed as the cloud's optical thickness is increased. Since the radiation pressure force is uniquely determined by light scattered by an atomic cloud, we discuss different scattering mechanisms, and point to the shadow effect as the dominant mechanism affecting FC-induced force in resonantly excited dense atomic clouds. Our results improve the understanding of the interaction of frequency comb light with many-atom ensembles, which is essential for novel frequency comb applications in simultaneous multi-species cooling, multi-mode quantum memories, and multi-mode atom-light interfaces.

8 pages, 4 figures

References in corpus (7)

• A subradiant optical mirror formed by a single structured atomic layer
• Photon bubbles in ultra-cold matter
• Observation of a Cooperative Radiation Force in the Presence of Disorder
• Room Temperature Atomic Frequency Comb Memory for Light
• Collective effects in the radiation pressure force
• Self-ordering and cavity cooling using a train of ultrashort pulses
• Simultaneous dual-species laser cooling using an optical frequency comb