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arXiv:0905.1063 · Physical Review A

High-flux two-dimensional magneto-optical-trap source for cold lithium atoms

T. G. Tiecke, S. D. Gensemer, A. Ludewig, Jook T. M. Walraven

Published Jul 20, 2009• 88 citations
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Abstract

We demonstrate a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D MOT) as a beam source for cold $^{6}\text{L}\text{i}$ atoms. The source is side loaded from an oven operated at temperatures in the range $600\ensuremath{\lesssim}T\ensuremath{\lesssim}700\text{ }\text{K}$. The performance is analyzed by loading the atoms into a three-dimensional MOT located 220 mm downstream from the source. The maximum recapture rate of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{9}\text{ }{\text{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ is obtained for $T\ensuremath{\approx}700\text{ }\text{K}$ and results in a total of up to ${10}^{10}$ trapped atoms. The recaptured fraction is estimated to be $30\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10%$ and limited by beam divergence. The most-probable velocity in the beam $({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{z})$ is varied from 18 to 70 m/s by increasing the intensity of a push beam. The source is quite monochromatic with a full width at half maximum velocity spread of 11 m/s at ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{z}=36\text{ }\text{m}/\text{s}$, demonstrating that side loading completely eliminates beam contamination by hot vapor from the oven. We identify depletion of the low-velocity tail of the oven flux as the limiting loss mechanism. Our approach is suitable for other atomic species.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.80.013409

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We demonstrate a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D MOT) as a beam source for cold 6Li^{6}\text{L}\text{i}6Li atoms. The source is side loaded from an oven operated at temperatures in the range 600\ensuremath≲T\ensuremath≲700 K600\ensuremath{\lesssim}T\ensuremath{\lesssim}700\text{ }\text{K}600\ensuremath≲T\ensuremath≲700 K. The performance is analyzed by loading the atoms into a three-dimensional MOT located 220 mm downstream from the source. The maximum recapture rate of \ensuremath∼109 s\ensuremath−1\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{9}\text{ }{\text{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\ensuremath∼109 s\ensuremath−1 is obtained for T\ensuremath≈700 KT\ensuremath{\approx}700\text{ }\text{K}T\ensuremath≈700 K and results in a total of up to 1010{10}^{10}1010 trapped atoms. The recaptured fraction is estimated to be 30\ifmmode±\else\textpm\fi1030\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}10%30\ifmmode±\else\textpm\fi10 and limited by beam divergence. The most-probable velocity in the beam (\ensuremathαz)({\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{z})(\ensuremathαz​) is varied from 18 to 70 m/s by increasing the intensity of a push beam. The source is quite monochromatic with a full width at half maximum velocity spread of 11 m/s at \ensuremathαz=36 m/s{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{z}=36\text{ }\text{m}/\text{s}\ensuremathαz​=36 m/s, demonstrating that side loading completely eliminates beam contamination by hot vapor from the oven. We identify depletion of the low-velocity tail of the oven flux as the limiting loss mechanism. Our approach is suitable for other atomic species.
We report on the realization of a transversely loaded two-dimensional magneto-optical trap serving as a source for cold strontium atoms. We analyze the dependence of the source's properties on various parameters, in particular the intensity of a pushing beam accelerating the atoms out of the source. An atomic flux exceeding 109atoms/s{10}^{9}\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{atoms}/\mathrm{s}109atoms/s at a rather moderate oven temperature of $500{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}\mathrm{C}$ is achieved. The longitudinal velocity of the atomic beam can be tuned over several tens of m/s by adjusting the power of the pushing laser beam. The beam divergence is around 60 mrad, determined by the transverse velocity distribution of the cold atoms. The slow atom source is used to load a three-dimensional magneto-optical trap realizing loading rates up to 109atoms/s{10}^{9}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{atoms}/\mathrm{s}109atoms/s without indication of saturation of the loading rate for increasing oven temperature. The compact setup avoids undesired effects found in alternative sources like, e.g., Zeeman slowers, such as vacuum contamination and black-body radiation due to the hot strontium oven.
We experimentally study the use of two-dimensional magneto-optical trapping (2D-MOT) for the generation of slow beams of cold atoms out of a vapor cell. A particularly high flux of $9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{9}$ rubidium atoms/s at a mean velocity of 8 m/s is obtained using a combination of magneto-optical trapping in two dimensions and Doppler cooling in the third dimension $({2\mathrm{D}}^{+}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{MOT}).$ The resulting width of the velocity distribution is 3.3 m/s [full width at half maximum (FWHM)] with a beam divergence of 43 mrad (FWHM). We investigate the total flux as a function of vapor cell pressure and determine the velocity distribution of our slow atom sources. For comparison, we also realized a low-velocity intense source (LVIS), first reported by Lu et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 3331 (1996)]. We find that the ${2\mathrm{D}}^{+}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{MOT}$ yields a significantly higher flux than the LVIS, even when used with an order of magnitude less laser power.
We present a two-dimensional (2D) magneto-optical trap (MOT) setup for the production of a continuous collimated beam of cold 87Rb{}^{87}\mathrm{Rb}87Rb atoms out of a vapor cell. The underlying physics is purely two-dimensional cooling and trapping, which allows for a high flux of up to $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{10}$ atoms/s and a small divergence of the resulting beam. We analyze the velocity distribution of the 2D MOT. The longitudinal velocity distribution of the atomic beam shows a broad feature (full width at half maximum $\ensuremath{\simeq}75 \mathrm{m}/\mathrm{s}),$ centered around 50 m/s. The dependence of the flux on laser intensity, on geometry of the trapping volume, and on pressure in the vapor cell was investigated in detail. The influence of the geometry of the 2D MOT on the mean velocity of the cold beam has been studied. We present a simple model for the velocity distribution of the flux based on rate equations describing the general features of our source.
Integrating two chemically distinct atomic species into a miniaturized, high-flux cold-atom source is a key challenge for modern experiments with ultracold atomic mixtures and polar molecules. Here, we report a compact setup with in-series two-dimensional magneto-optical traps (2D MOTs) that provides high-flux cold lithium and rubidium atoms. Thanks to the efficient short-distance Zeeman slowing, the maximum 3D MOT loading rate of lithium atoms reaches a record value of 6.6 × 10 9 atoms/s at a moderate lithium-oven temperature of 372 degrees Celsius, which is 44 times higher than that without the Zeeman slowing light. The flux of rubidium is also as high as 2.3 × 10 9 atoms/s with the rubidium oven held at room temperature. Meanwhile, the entire vacuum-chamber system, including an ultra-high-vacuum science cell, is within a small volume of 65 × 55 × 70 cm 3 . Our work represents a substantial improvement over traditional bulky and complex dual-species cold-atom setups. It provides a good starting point for the fast production of a double-degenerate lithium-rubidium atomic mixture and large samples of ultracold lithium-rubidium ground-state molecules.
Integrating two chemically distinct atomic species into a miniaturized, high-flux cold-atom source is a key challenge for modern experiments with ultracold atomic mixtures and polar molecules.Here, we report a compact setup with in-series two-dimensional magneto-optical traps (2D MOTs) that provides high-flux cold lithium and rubidium atoms.Thanks to the efficient short-distance Zeeman slowing, the maximum 3D MOT loading rate of lithium atoms reaches a record value of 6.6 × 10 9 atoms/s at a moderate lithium-oven temperature of 372 degrees Celsius, which is 44 times higher than that without the Zeeman slowing light.The flux of rubidium is also as high as 2.3 × 10 9 atoms/s with the rubidium oven held at room temperature.Meanwhile, the entire vacuum-chamber system, including an ultra-high-vacuum science cell, is within a small volume of 65 × 55 × 70 cm 3 .Our work represents a substantial improvement over traditional bulky and complex dual-species cold-atom setups.It provides a good starting point for the fast production of a double-degenerate lithium-rubidium atomic mixture and large samples of ultracold lithium-rubidium ground-state molecules.
We present a high-flux source of cold strontium atoms based on a two-dimensional magneto-optical trap (2D MOT) and a Zeeman slower. We use the source to load a 3D MOT in a separate science chamber, observing a loading rate of 4×1010 atoms/s—to our knowledge, the highest reported loading flux for strontium. To characterize the vacuum pressure in the science chamber, we load the atoms into a magnetic trap and measure a lifetime of between 8 and 24 s, depending on the oven temperature. Finally, we characterize the atom flux and velocity distributions from the oven and from the 2D MOT source, finding reasonable agreement with models in the free molecular flow regime. Our results show that it is possible to readily produce a cold strontium flux at comparable levels to those of alkali species, at oven temperatures compatible with long-term operation, and at vacuum pressures suitable for state-of-the-art quantum experiments. We make our design available at no cost to benefit researchers in the quantum community.