Red- and blue-detuned magneto-optical trapping with liquid crystal variable retarders

Abstract: We exploit red- and blue-detuned magneto optical trapping (MOT) of $^{87}$Rb benefitting from a simplified setup based on liquid crystal variable retarders (LCVR). To maintain the trapping forces when switching from a red- to a blue-detuned MOT, the circularity of the cooling beams needs to be reversed. LCVRs allow fast polarization control and represent compact, simple and cost-efficient components which can easily be implemented in existing laser systems. This way, we achieve a blue-detuned type-II MOT for $^{87}$Rb atoms with sub-Doppler temperatures of 44.5 $\mu$K. The phase space density is increased by more than two orders of magnitude compared to the standard red-detuned type-I MOT. The setup can readily be transferred to any other system working with $^{87}$Rb.