Stimulated slowing of Yb atoms on the narrow S-1(0 )-> P-3(1) transition

We analyzed bichromatic and polychromatic stimulated forces for laser cooling and trapping of Yb atoms using only the narrow S-1(0) -> P-3(1) transition. Our model is based on numerical solutions of optical Bloch equations for two-level atoms driven by multiple time-dependent fields combined with Monte Carlo simulations, which account for realistic experimental conditions such as atomic beam divergence, geometry, and Gaussian laser modes. Using 1 W of laser power, we predict a loading rate of 10(8) atoms/s into a 556-nm magneto-optical trap (MOT) with a slowing force of approximate to 60F(rad). We show that a square-wave modulation can produce similar stimulated forces with almost twice the velocity range and improve the MOT loading rate of Yb atoms by up to 70%.