A magneto-optical trap method including applying a magnetic field to an atom encapsulated in a vacuum vessel and having a nuclear spin of not less than 3/2 by using an anti-Helmholtz coil. Then generating a laser beam including a first laser beam detuned from a first resonance frequency when the atom transits from a total angular momentum quantum number F in a ground state to a total angular momentum quantum number F′=F+1 in an excited state, and a second laser beam detuned from a second resonance frequency when the atom transits from the total angular momentum quantum number F in the ground state to a total angular momentum quantum number F′=F−1 in the excited state.