An all optical dynamical dark trap for neutral atoms

Opt Express. 2001 Jan 15;8(2):159-65. doi: 10.1364/oe.8.000159.

Abstract

We describe the experimental realization of a dynamical optical trap for atoms: the Rotating Off-resonant Dipole Optical (RODiO) Trap. A blue detuned circularly scanned laser beam creates a time averaged ;;box" for the atoms. We characterized this novel confinement technique by varying the trapping geometry and the laser beam parameters. Our observations agree well with a numerical model.