LASER COOLING TO A SINGLE QUANTUM STATE IN A TRAP - ONE-DIMENSIONAL RESULTS

Laser cooling in a trap is investigated for laser and trapping configu rations which allow the existence of approximate ''dark states'' of th e combined atom-plus-trap system, i.e., states that are decoupled from the laser light by quantum interference. We show that a one-dimension al (1D) free-particle dark state in angular momentum J(g)=1 to J(e)=1 transitions and in two counterpropagating laser fields survives as an approximate dark state in a ''flat-bottom'' trap of size much larger t han the optical wavelength. Furthermore, we show the existence of appr oximate dark states in 1D harmonic-oscillator potentials. In the latte r configuration we are able to provide analytical results.