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Open Access Publications from the University of California

Scholarly Works (2 results)

  • Thesis
  • Peer Reviewed
UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations (2019)

Laser cooling and trapping has been essential to the study of ultracold atoms. Conventionally, continuous wave (CW) lasers have been used almost exclusively to transfer momentum to atoms, which is necessary for laser cooling and trapping. In this thesis, I will describe a technique to laser cool and trap atoms with optical frequency comb generated by a mode-locked (ML) laser, which is another type of laser that is better known as a metrology tool.

While atomic magneto-optical trap (MOT), a spatially confined atomic sample created with laser cooling and trapping, has become the workhorse of ultracold atomic physics since its first demonstration a few decades ago, the first molecular MOT was only demonstrated a few years ago. The main reason for the low number of molecules in the trap is the low number of molecules that can be slowed to a laser trappable speed, which is due to their high likelihood of spontaneous emission into dark states. In this thesis I will also describe a mode-locked laser slowing technique that suppresses spontaneous emission.

    Cover page: A New Tool for Preparing Ultracold Atoms and Molecules
    • Article
    • Peer Reviewed
    UCLA Previously Published Works (2018)
    We demonstrate the use of a frequency-doubled optical frequency comb to load, cool, and crystallize trapped atomic ions as an alternative to ultraviolet (UV) or even deep UV continuous-wave lasers. We find that the Doppler shift from the atom's oscillation in the trap, driven by the blue-detuned comb teeth, introduces additional cooling and amplification which gives rise to steady-state phonon lasing of the ion's harmonic motion in the trap. The phonon laser's gain saturation keeps the optical frequency comb from continually adding energy without bound. This protection allows us to demonstrate loading and crystallization of hot ions directly with the comb, eliminating the need for a continuous-wave cooling laser, a technique that is extendable to the deep UV.
      Cover page: Phonon Lasing from Optical Frequency Comb Illumination of Trapped Ions
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