Pulsed filling of a dark magnetooptical trap for rubidium atoms

The parameters of a dark magnetooptical trap for rubidium atoms are measured. The rubidium atoms captured and cooled in the trap occupy a hyperfine level of the ground electronic state, which does not interact with cooling laser radiation. The pulsed filling of the trap is produced due to desorption of rubidium caused by irradiation by a short (1 ms) light pulse. The trap captures and cools 2.5×10⁸ rubidium atoms approximately for 0.2 s. The absorption spectra of a weak probe field by cold atoms are obtained, which demonstrate a good spectral resolution of the hyperfine structure in the excited state. This structure is completely hidden by the Doppler broadening in rubidium vapours at room temperature.