Laser-noise-induced heating in far-off resonance optical traps

Abstract
Using a simple model, we calculate the heating rates arising from laser intensity noise and beam-pointing fluctuations in far-off resonance optical traps. Intensity noise causes exponential heating, while beam-pointing noise causes heating at a constant rate. The achievement of heating time constants well beyond 10 sec imposes stringent requirements on the laser noise power spectra. Noise spectra are measured for a commercial argon-ion laser to illustrate the expected time scales.

This publication has 17 references indexed in Scilit: