Manipulation of spin-polarized atoms in an optical dipole-force trap

¹ Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik - 69029 Heidelberg, Germany
² Physikalisches Institut der Universität - Philosophenweg 12, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
³ Sussex Centre for Optical and Atomic Physics, University of Sussex - Brighton, UK

Received: 17 August 1998
Accepted: 19 October 1998

Abstract

Ultracold cesium atoms are stored in a novel dipole-force trap, which provides long storage times of spin polarization and facilitates easy Stern-Gerlach selection. The trap consists of a far red-detuned standing light wave, oriented vertically in the field of gravity. By comparing the trapping of a single magnetic substate (F=4, m_F=0) with the simultaneous storage of all sublevels, we measure the decay of spin polarization that results from photon scattering of trap light. We furthermore observe spin precession in an optically induced “fictitious magnetic field”.