ATOM TRAPPING IN DEEPLY BOUND-STATES OF A FAR-OFF-RESONANCE OPTICAL LATTICE

We form a one-dimensional optical lattice for Cs atoms using light tun ed a few thousand linewidths below atomic resonance. Atoms are selecti vely loaded into deeply bound states by adiabatic transfer from a supe rimposed, near-resonance optical lattice. This yields a mean vibration al excitation (n) over bar approximate to 0.3 and localization Delta(z ) approximate to lambda/20. Light scattering subsequently heats the at oms, but the initial rate is only of order 10(-3) vibrational quanta p er oscillation period. Low vibrational excitation, strong localization , and low heating rates make these atoms good candidates for resolved- sideband Raman cooling.