Short-Distance Atomic Beam Deceleration with a Stimulated Light Force

Abstract

We have decelerated a cesium atomic beam from thermal velocities down to several tens of m/s within only a 10 cm slowing distance. A bichromatic standing light wave was used to generate a stimulated force exceeding the spontaneous force limit by a factor of $\ensuremath{\sim}10$ and extending over a large, saturation-broadened velocity range. Because of the short slowing distance this method allows production of very intense, continuous beams of slow atoms.