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Journal of Undergraduate Research

Keywords

stable diode laser systems, laser cooling, trapping, atomic physics

College

Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Department

Physics and Astronomy

Abstract

Laser cooling and trapping has become one of the most widespread and successful research tools within atomic physics in the last twenty years. The idea is to “hit” an oncoming atom with photons of laser light, which slow the atom down. Then, using the appropriate magnetic field in conjunction with the laser light, atoms are not only slowed down to a near stop, but also become trapped and suspended in a small region of space. Since temperature is really only the measure of atoms’ speed, these slow, trapped atoms are very, very cold – near absolute zero. In the last five to ten years, interest has increased in laser cooling alkaline earth atoms – those found in the second column of the periodic table. We were interested in laser cooling calcium, an alkaline earth atom, in order to study ultra-cold, strongly coupled plasmas. Plasmas are most familiar in astrophysical environments like stars. The study of an ultra-cold plasma could offer more detailed insight into fundamental plasma dynamics than a star. This is because stellar plasmas are so hot that the atoms’ high speed motion overwhelms other plasma processes.

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