Algorithmic cooling in a momentum state quantum computer

Interferometric Laser Cooling of Atomic Rubidium

We report the 1D cooling of ^{85}Rb atoms using a velocity-dependent optical force based upon Ramsey matter-wave interferometry. Using stimulated Raman transitions between ground hyperfine states, 12 cycles of the interferometer sequence cool a freely moving atom cloud from 21 to 3 μK. This pulsed analog of continuous-wave Doppler cooling is effective at temperatures down to the recoil limit; with augmentation pulses to increase the interferometer area, it should cool more quickly than conventional methods and be more suitable for species that lack a closed radiative transition.

Velocity selective optical pumping of Rb hyperfine lines induced by a train of femtosecond pulses

We present direct observation of the velocity-selective optical pumping of the Rb ground state hyperfine levels induced by 5S(1/2) --> 5P(1/2) femtosecond pulse-train excitation. A modified direct frequency comb spectroscopy based on the fixed frequency comb and a weak cw scanning probe laser was developed. The femtosecond pulse-train excitation of a Doppler-broadened Rb four-level atomic vapor is investigated theoretically in the context of the density matrix formalism and the results are compared with the experiment.