COLLAPSE OF ATOMIC MOTION IN A QUANTIZED CAVITY MODE

The state of a quantized single-mode cavity field strongly influences the motion of atomic wave packets trapped into the optical potential t hat it provides, to the point where the atomic motion can be effective ly ''frozen'' for long periods of time. This effect, which should not be confused with cooling, is reminiscent of the collapse and revivals phenomena familiar from the Jaynes-Cummings model. (C) 1997 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.