Dissipative pure-optical trap for laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms

Abstract

We show the possibility of implementing a deep dissipative optical lattice for neutral atoms with a macroscopic period. The depth of the lattice can reach magnitudes comparable to the depth of the magneto-optical traps (MOT), while the presence of dissipative friction forces allows for trapping and cooling of atoms. The area of localization of trapped atoms reaches sub-millimeter size, and the number of atoms is comparable to the number trapped in MOT. As an example, we study lithium atoms for which the macroscopic period of the lattice $\Lambda=1.5$ cm. Such deep optical lattices with a macroscopic period open up possibility for developing effective methods for cooling and trapping neutral atoms without use of magnetic field as an alternative to MOT. This is important for developing compact systems based on cold atoms.