J. Arlt et al., SUPPRESSION OF COLLISIONAL LOSS FROM A MAGNETIC TRAP, Journal of physics. B, Atomic molecular and optical physics, 31(7), 1998, pp. 321-327
Caesium atoms in a magnetic trap have a higher loss rate from intra-tr
ap collisions than rubidium under comparable conditions. We have found
that this loss from inelastic collisions can be suppressed by periodi
c optical pumping of the atoms back into the most strongly trapped mag
netic state (F = 4, M-F = +4), although this reclamation of the straye
d atoms gives rise to some heating of the sample. This observation sho
ws that the dominant loss mechanism in the magnetic bias field regime
investigated is from collisions which change the magnetic sublevel (qu
antum number M-F) and not the hyperfine level(F quantum number).