Production of a cold atomic vapor using diode-laser cooling

We have used the light from diode lasers (λ = 852 nm) to damp the motion of atoms in a cesium vapor. We have been able to contain more than 10⁷ atoms for 0.2 sec and cool them to a temperature of ${100}_{-30}^{+100}\mu \text{K}$ in this viscous photon medium (the so-called optical molasses).