TEMPERATURES NEAR THE RECOIL LIMIT IN AN ATOMIC FUNNEL

We report on an improved atomic funnel with transverse velocities near the recoil limit. Its central element is an atomic funnel, strongly t ilted against the initial atomic beam axis, deflecting, compressing an d cooling a laser decelerated metastable neon beam. In spite of a stro ng magnetic field gradient at 350 G/cm polarisation gradient cooling i n the final section of the funnel leads to transverse temperatures far below the Doppler limit. These results were achieved for unusual smal l laser detunings, which cannot be explained by standard sub-Doppler t heory.