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PUBLICATIONS

Jean Dalibard, the magneto-optical trap, and the ascent of physics with cold atomic gases

Published

Author(s)

William D. Phillips

Abstract

I present my personal perspective on the importance of the invention by Jean Dalibard of the magneto-optical trap (MOT), which has for many years been the "workhorse" of the field of laser cooling and cold atomic gases. I recount some of the history related to the MOT and argue that its invention enabled cold atomic gases to become the dominant part of Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) physics that it is today.
Citation
Comptes Rendus Physique
Volume
24
Issue
S3
Pub Type
Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.5802/crphys.172
Local Download

Keywords

Jean Dalibard, magneto-optical trap, MOT, laser cooling and trapping, radiation-pressure trap, optical Earnshaw theorem
Physics

Citation

Phillips, W. (2024), Jean Dalibard, the magneto-optical trap, and the ascent of physics with cold atomic gases, Comptes Rendus Physique, [online], https://doi.org/10.5802/crphys.172, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=956436 (Accessed October 9, 2025)

Issues

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Created May 31, 2024, Updated June 3, 2024
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