Slowing Atoms by Photon Bombardment
A gas of atoms at room temperature is in constant motion
for argon gas at T=3000K, vrms = (3kT/m)1/2 = 430 m/s !
How can we use photons to slow these atoms down?
- Consider that the atom absorbs a photon with p=h/?
Typically a change of few cm/s
- Atoms moving in the same direction as the laser are speeded up => no net slowing down