POPULATION TRANSFER VIA OPTICAL-PUMPING IN COLD CESIUM ATOMS

We present an investigation on the phenomenon of population transfer v ia optical pumping in cesium atoms in the magneto-optical trap environ ment. In particular we describe a very simple scheme for the continuou s production of cold cesium atoms in the lower hyperfine ground state 6S(1/2), F = 3, which can be useful for spectroscopic applications. Ou r results can be qualitatively understood with a simple rate equation model. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.