We report the first observation of optically trapped atoms. Sodium atoms cooled below 10^-3 K in "optical molasses" are captured by a dipole-force optical trap created by a single, strongly focused, Gaussian laser beam tuned several hundred gigahertz below the D₁ resonance transition. We estimate that about 500 atoms are confined in a volume of about 10³ {μ}m³ at a density of 10¹¹-10¹² cm^-3. Trap lifetimes are limited by background pressure to several seconds. The observed trapping behavior is in good quantitative agreement with theoretical expectations.
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Chu et al. (1986) studied this question.
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