Laser Cooling and Trapping (Graduate Texts in Contemporary Physics) - Softcover

Metcalf, Harold J.; Straten, Peter Van Der; Van Der Straten, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0387987282 ISBN 13: 9780387987286

Publisher: Springer, 1999

Synopsis

Laser cooling is a relatively new technique that has led to insights into the behavior of atoms as well as confirming with striking detail some of the fundamental notions of quantum mechanics, such as the condensation predicted by S.N. Bose. This elegant technique, whereby atoms, molecules, and even microscopic beads of glass, are trapped in small regions of free space by beams of light and subsequently moved at will using other beams, provides a useful research tool for the study of individual atoms and clusters of atoms, for investigating the details of chemical reactions, and even for determining the physical properties of individual macromolecules such as synthetic polymers and DNA. Intended for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students who have some basic knowledge of optics and quantum mechanics, this text begins with a review of the relevant results of quantum mechanics, it then turns to the electromagnetic interactions involved in slowing and trapping atoms and ions, in both magnetic and optical traps. The concluding chapters discuss a broad range of applications, from atomic clocks and studies of collision processes to diffraction and interference of atomic beams at optical lattices and Bose-Einstein condensation.

About this title

Review

  From the reviews:

"A strong recommendation for any book in one's own field is to see it written the way you would have written it. This is certainly the case here. If you are a researcher or a teacher in laser cooling and trapping or a related field of atomic, molecular, and optical physics, then this is a must buy text for your bookshelf. And buy one for your students too, because your copy will inevitably disappear." The Physicist

..."For its intended use, which is to guide newcomers into the field of laser cooling and trapping, the book does a superb jobThe book is well placed to evolve with the field for many years to come." Physics Today

 

From the reviews:

"A strong recommendation for any book in one's own field is to see it written the way you would have written it. This is certainly the case here. If you are a researcher or a teacher in laser cooling and trapping or a related field of atomic, molecular, and optical physics, then this is a a ~must buya (TM) text for your bookshelf. And buy one for your students too, because your copy will inevitably disappear." The Physicist

.,."For its intended use, which is to guide newcomers into the field of laser cooling and trapping, the book does a superb joba ]The book is well placed to evolve with the field for many years to come." Physics Today

Synopsis

Laser cooling allows one to slow atoms to roughly the speed of a mosquito and to control their motions with unprecedented precision. This elegant technique, whereby atoms, molecules, and even microscopic beads of glass, can be trapped in small regions of free space by beams of light and subsequently moved at will using other beams, has revolutionized many areas of physics. In particular, it provides a useful research tool for the study of individual atoms, for investigating the details of chemical reactions, and even for the study of atomic motion in the quantum domain. This text begins with a review of the relevant aspects of quantum mechanics; it then turns to the electromagnetic interactions involved in slowing and trapping atoms, in both magnetic and optical traps. The concluding chapters discuss a broad range of applications, including atomic clocks, studies of ultra-cold collision processes, diffraction and interference of atomic beams, optical lattices, and Bose-Einstein condensation. The book is intended for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students who have some basic knowledge of optics and quantum mechanics.

An extensive bibliography provides access to the current research literature.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0387987282
• ISBN 13: 9780387987286
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 340