为了减小锶原子跃迁谱线的多普勒增宽及频移,需要对锶原子进行激光冷却以降低它的速度,而一级冷却只能将原子温度降低至mK量级,这样的原子其速度过大而无法有效地装载至光晶格中,因此必须进行二级冷却。锶原子存在单重态与三重态(5s2)1S0→(5s5p)3P1间互组跃迁,利用与其跃迁波长在689 nm的窄线宽激光对锶原子进一步冷却,可将锶原子团温度降低至μK量级。利用时序有效、准确地控制磁场和光场与原子相互作用时间,通过飞行时间法对锶冷原子温度进行了测算。实验中应用计算机精确控制磁光阱区域中冷原子团下落时间,EMCCD记录冷原子团初始时刻和下落20 ms后的状态。经过分析计算二级冷却温度为4.39 μK,不确定度仅为0.19 μK,二级冷原子团数目约为1.2×107。低温二级冷却锶原子温度及原子数目的获得为锶光钟跃迁信号的信噪比估计提供实验参考,也是实现高精度时间频率标准的前提。

To decrease the Doppler broadening and frequency shift,reducing the atomic velocity by laser cooling is necessary. Noting that through the first stage cooling,atoms can only be slowed down to the temperature at the mK level,which is too high to be loaded to the optical lattice,We made further efforts to slow down the velocity of the atoms,and the second stage cooling was implemented. When the first stage cooling stopped,using the 689nm laser corresponding to (5s2)1S0→(5s5p)3P1 further cooling the atoms could attain the temperature at as low as μK level. Using the timing sequence accurately controlling the time of interaction between the electromagnetic field and atoms.calculated the temperature through time-of-flight method. Dropping time of cold atoms in the MOT was accurately controlled,and the atomic photos were taken at 0 ms and 20 ms.By analyzing the data,the atomic temperature after the second stage cooling is 4.39 μK,uncertainty is only 0.19 μK and the number of the atoms 1.2×107.The temperature and number of the Sr atoms offer the important reference for estimating the SNR of signal,which is also the foundation for achieving the high-precision standard of time and frequency.