INFLUENCE OF THE NEIGHBORING TRANSITION ON POLARIZATION GRADIENT COOLING

We discuss the efficiency of polarization gradient cooling of a Cs ato m with a laser, red-detuned from the F-g = 4 --> F'(e) = 5 transition. As the detuning becomes larger, the equilibrium temperature becomes l ower. When the detuning is larger than 150 MHz, the influence of the F -g = 4 --> F'(e)= 4 transition also becomes significant. We show our n umerical analysis of polarization gradient cooling, taking into accoun t actual sublevels of the ground state and two excited states. We conc lude that it is preferable to use a detuning of greater than 180 MHz, to get both a high deceleration and low equilibrium temperature.