INTENSITY DEPENDENCE OF THE COLLISIONAL LOSS RATE FOR K-39 ATOMS IN AVAPOR CELL MOT

We have measured the collisional loss rate for cold potassium (K-39) a toms held in a magneto-optical trap as a function of light intensity. Our measurement technique consists of a sudden decrease of the laser i ntensity, after which we observe the temporal variation in the number of trapped atoms. This technique allows us to reach the very low inten sity regime without compromising the loading process. In this regime, hyperfine changing collisions are the dominant loss effect. We present here new data for cold collisions between potassium atoms and introdu ce a new simple way to study cold atomic collisions in a vapor-cell MO T.