2008/04/29 by Brian King, B. E. King, King, B. E. · 2 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Frequency and Time Standards #Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph) #Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research #Cold Atom Physics and Bose-Einstein Condensates #FOS: Physical sciences #physics.atom-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0804.4528
The following article has been submitted to the American Journal of Physics. After it is published, it will be found at http://scitation.aip.org/ajp
arxiv created 2008/04/29 · openalex publication_date 2008/04/29 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The Rabi frequency (coupling strength) of an electric-dipole transition is an important experimental parameter in laser-cooling and other atomic physics experiments. Though the relationship between Rabi frequency and atomic wavefunctions and/or atomic lifetimes is discussed in many references, there is a need for a concise, self-contained, accessible introduction to such calculations suitable for use by the typical student of laser cooling (experimental or theoretical). In this paper, I outline calculations of the Rabi frequencies for atoms with sub-structure due to orbital, spin and nuclear angular momentum. I emphasize the physical meaning of the calculations.