An Atom Trap Relying on Optical Pumping

Abstract

We have investigated a new radiation pressure trap which relies on optical pumping and does not require any magnetic field. It employs six circularly polarized divergent beams and works on the red of a $J_g⟶J_e=J_g+1$ atomic transition with $J_g\ge 1/2$. We have demonstrated this trap with cesium atoms from a vapour cell using the 852 nm $J_g=4⟶J_e=5$ resonance transition. The trap contained up to $3\cdot 10^7$ atoms in a cloud of $1/\sqrt{e}$ radius of 330 $\hat{I}¼$m.