High-density trapping of cesium atoms in a dark magneto-optical trap

We have confined magneto-optically trapped cesium atoms to densities of nearly ${10}^{12}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{-}3}$ by directing most of the population to a hyperfine level which does not interact with the trapping light. This compression represents almost an order of magnitude improvement on the best density we have been able to attain in a conventional magneto-optical trap. In previous work such improvements in density have only been reported for much lighter sodium. We discuss and demonstrate the difficulties in applying the technique to a heavy alkali-metal atom and the limits that are imposed on the best combination of density and temperature that can be produced. We present a simple model that accurately reproduces the density behavior, and justify its basic assumptions by Monte Carlo simulation. © 1996 The American Physical Society.