Laser cooling in an optical lattice that employs Raman transitions

Abstract

We demonstrate laser cooling in an optical lattice that employs Raman transitions. Four laser beams with different frequencies form a one-dimensional lattice with a basic lattice period that is a factor of 2 less than in standard optical lattices. Rb atoms are cooled to $8\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{K}$. We measure the intensity- and detuning-dependence of the cooling mechanism. Our experimental results agree well with theoretical models.