The focusing effect of cold atomic cloud with a red-detuned Gaussian beam

Abstract

We have demonstrated an atom-optical lens, with the advantage of a small scale and flexible adjustment of the parameters, realized by a far red-detuned Gaussian laser beam perpendicular to the propagation direction of the cold atomic cloud. The one-dimensional transverse focusing effect of cold atomic clouds at the temperature order of 1 $\mu$K freely falling through the atom-optical lens on the micron scale have been studied theoretically and then verified experimentally. It is found that theory and experiment are in good agreement.