Stochastic cooling of atoms using lasers

We propose a method to laser-cool atoms based on stochastic cooling, first developed at CERN to cool antiprotons. Fluctuations in the momentum distrib ution will be detected in a pump-probe configuration with far-detuned laser s, and the appropriate correction kick will be accomplished with optical di pole potentials. Each stage of an iterative cooling process will involve me asurement and feedback, with phase space remixing in between. We discuss po ssible applications of this method to magnetically trapped atoms and molecu les. [S1050-2947(98)05012-4].