Abstract

The role of repumping in the magneto-optical trap (MOT) has often been seen as a necessary evil, requiring the introduction of either an electro-optical modulator or extra laser.^1,2 However, repumping can be exploited to improve the performance of the MOT,³ or to study further the behavior of such a trap. We report results of a modified MOT using for repumping the D₁ transitions 3S_1/2 F = 1 to 3P_l/2 F = 1 and F = 2. Because these wavelengths are well displaced from the usual (D₂) repump wavelengths, the direct repump influence on the trapping and cooling laser interaction should be significantly reduced. We also expect further possibilities for cold-atom spectroscopy within the MOT. The possibility of a dark trap with this repumping transition has been suggested.³

© 1995 Optical Society of America