4 ms·
Oh wow, neat explanation, thanks! For some reason I always thought laser cooling was about “cornering” atoms in between laser beams. But then apparently from yo
by Ecco 6y ago
Oh wow, neat explanation, thanks! For some reason I always thought laser cooling was about “cornering” atoms in between laser beams. But then apparently from your explanation it’s really only about finding the right laser color! Then you can beam it in pretty much any direction and it will result in a global reduction of the speed of atoms (aka temperature). Did I get that right?
- sasaf5 6y agoYes that's the general idea. Lasers are used because of their temporal coherence (i.e. they shine in a single, stable, frequency).
- willis936 6y agoA critical part of a laser is coherency: all energy is at the same frequency and phase. This is really what sets laser light apart from other kinds of light and what makes it such a useful science tool.
- fsh 6y agoLaser cooling only reduces the velocity component that is directed against the direction of the laser beam. For free atoms you therefore need three pairs of counter-propagating beams to achieve overall cooling. If the atoms are somehow confined (for example ions in a trap), their motion has to reverse periodically and a single cooling beam can be enough.