We have experimentally studied the multiple side-band generation for two-frequency components injected into a tapered amplifier and demonstrated its effects on atomic laser cooling. A heterodyne frequency-beat measurement and a Fabry Perot interferometer have been applied to analyze the side-band generation with different experimental parameters, such as frequency difference, injection laser power and tapered amplifier current. In laser cooling potassium40 and potassium41 with hyperfine splitting of 1.3GHz and 254MHz, respectively, the side-band generation with a small frequency difference has a significant effect on the number of trapped atoms.
Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures