All-optical confinement of ultracold plasma with resonant ions

The solution of the problem of all-optical (nonmagnetic) confinement of ultracold electron-ion neutral plasma based on selective action on plasma ions with quantum transition J=1→J=0 of so-called rectified radiation forces in a strong nonmonochromatic light field is suggested. The presented scheme of the three-dimensional dissipative optical trap for plasma allows one to obtain long-lived ultracold plasma with controlled characteristics. The lifetime of the ultracold plasma in such a trap may exceed considerably (by orders of magnitude) the time of free plasma expansion and the lifetime in the (earlier proposed) optical molasses for the ultracold plasma.