optical molasses
n.— «The fluid dampens its motion; once it starts to move it hits viscosity in the fluid and wants to slow down. It’s exactly the same in optical molasses, only it’s a fluid of photons from the laser that creates the dampening. If the atoms want to move in the fluid they slow down, and it looks exactly like Brownian motion.» —“Interview: Steven Chu” by Mike May American Scientist Jan.-Feb., 1998. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
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