2-DIMENSIONAL ATOMIC VELOCITY SELECTION BY A RESONANTLY ENHANCED RAMAN TRANSITION

A simple scheme for two-dimensional velocity selection is proposed and theoretically investigated. The scheme uses only two laser beams exci ting stimulated Raman transition in a three-level atom. Parameters of velocity-selective pi-pulse as well as velocity distribution of select ed atoms are calculated. It is shown that the distribution width can b e lower than the recoil velocity for the narrow transitions used. A fe asible scheme for the accumulation of selected atoms in magnetic traps is discussed.