Laser Cooling of Lithium-6 Atoms in a Bichromatic Light Field

Abstract

The kinetics of ⁶Li atoms in a bichromatic laser field exciting transitions on D2 and D1 lines is investigated. The model takes into account the complex real structure of energy levels of ⁶Li (including the Zeeman degeneracy) as well as the nonuniform spatial polarization of the laser field. It is found that detuning and the polarization configuration of the light field component of the resonant D2 line of the ⁶Li atom are of fundamental importance for laser cooling. The possibility of cooling of atoms below the Doppler limit is demonstrated.