Sisyphus effect
In ultra-low temperature physics, The Sisyphus Effect involves the use of specially selected laser light, hitting atoms from various angles to both cool and trap them in a potential well, effectively 'rolling' the atom down a hill of potential energy until it has lost its kinetic energy.
It is named in reference to the Greek mythological figure of Sisyphus, a king punished in Tartarus by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill.
References
- "intro_Eng". Lkb.ens.fr. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
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