We report temperature measurements of atoms trapped in a three-dimensional (3D) optical lattice, a well-defined laser-cooling situation that can be treated with currently available theoretical tools. We also obtain fluorescence spectra from a 3D optical lattice, from which we obtain quantitative information about the trapping atoms, including the oscillation frequencies, spatial localization, and a temperature, which is in good agreement with our direct measurements. For comparison we study a 1D lattice using the same atom (cesium).

• Received 10 January 1997

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.55.R3987