Ultracold plasma in blue-detuned optical molasses

The possibility of a new application of optical molasses for viscous confinement and control of the state of ultracold electron-ion neutral plasma containing ions with quantum transition resonant with respect to the laser radiation has been shown. This viscous confinement scheme is based on the action of radiation damping force upon plasma ions in the strong field of standing light wave with large positive (“blue”) frequency detuning from resonance.