Nonlinear radiation imprisonment in magneto-optical vapor traps

• We analyze nonlinear radiation imprisonment (RI) effects in an optically thick vapor in different temperature regimes. An analytical approach is proposed to treat nonlinear decay problems. Special attention is paid to vapor samples having curvilinear geometries (cylinder, sphere) and being excited by a strong laser pulse. We derive a number of new formulas for different radiative trapping factors as functions of opacity and propose a general approach for RI evaluation allowing us to deal with samples both at room and low, or very low, temperatures, such as those customarily achieved in magneto-optical trap (MOT) experiments. As a result, we predict a "subnatural" decay of radiation escaping from cold vapors, which can be envisioned as the basis for a sensitive and reliable MOT diagnostic tool.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

RESONANCE

VELOCITY REDISTRIBUTION

ANALYTICALLY SOLVABLE PROBLEMS

GEOMETRIES

RADIATION

EXCITATION TRANSFER

EXCITED ATOMS

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)