• field ionization
• temperature gradient inside the MOT
• Rydberg atoms
• photoionization
• local temperature measurements

This thesis presents an experimental work in the field of atomic optics with a dual
objective. On the one hand, I aim to demonstrate that utilizing the photoionization technique
allows for the characterization of the dynamics of atoms trapped within a dipole trap through
the phenomenon of parametric resonance. On the other hand, I intend to prove that, also by
employing photoionization techniques, it is possible to measure the temperature by assessing
the local density of the atomic sample as a function of time. Particularly, from the literature, we
know that a technique enabling local temperature measurements of samples of cold atoms has
not yet been developed, and consequently, aspects such as the spatial variation of temperature
within the Magneto-Optical Trap (MOT) have not been investigated. In this thesis, I propose a
direct technique for local temperature measurement based on the measurement of the Doppler
broadening of resonances of the 6P and 70S levels, demonstrating how the resonance of the
Rydberg level offers interesting future prospects compared to the 6P level. Finally, I employ
this technique to study the spatial variation of temperature within the MOT.